AN ESSAY Concerning Friendly Reproof: Explaining clearly the NATURE, Excellency and usefulness Of it.  
Proving both from Reason and Revelation that it is an Indispensable Duty.  
And laying down very plain Rules concerning the properest Methods, both of giving and receiving it, etc.  
There is a reproof that is not seasonable. 'Tis far better to reprove than to be angry secretly: How good is it when thou art reproved, to show repentance.!  Ecclesiasticus xx. 3. 
LONDON: Printed for R. Cumberland, at the Angel in S. Paul 's Churchyard; where all Gentlemen may be furnished with Acts of Parliament, new or old, 1696.   

The Preface.  
OF all sorts of Write that have appeared in Public, in this keen and satirical Age, I know none that have proved so beneficial to Souls as those which have treated solely and practically about some particular Moral or Divine Subject. And indeed a considerate Man need not wonder how this comes to pass; for as such Subjects are the most excellent, because they serve the Interest of our most permanent Part, so particular Discourses upon them bid fairest for Success, being they are most instructive. A few general and acquaint Sentences will not serve the Turns of mean Capacities: The most are neither wise enough nor willing enough to be so, to be improved and awakened by By-Hints.  
The Anatomists, in their Pursuits after a more perfect Knowledge of the admirable Structure of Human Bodies, pry into even the minutest Parts. They are fit Patterns for Authors to imitate, for there is no Method so likely to enrich Man's Minds with a competent store of Christian Wisdom for the Regulation of their Manners, and the making them eminent Benefactors to Mankind, and to have a clear Survey of the whole Body of Truth, as diving into its very Bowels, and dissecting all the Veins and Membrules of it. The separate Observation of every one of the Branches of Duty, as they are laid by the Hands of God and Nature in the Bible of Reason and External Revelation presents us with a pleasant Sight of the peculiar Tendency and Use of every one of them; and the rare Contexture & beautiful Harmony of them all together. Do Physicians by their Art and Scrutiny, see how the Health of the Body is hazarded by the Stoppage of a small Dust or the Breaking of a Thread scarcely discernible to an obtuse or careless Eye? Why? so many Christians too by narrowly looking into the Nature of every Duty singly and apart, see the Office and Serviceableness of it to Man's Spirit, and that the lest of them can't be spared by one who would repair his Primitive Frame. A little Patience would by this means suffice to trace the Excellency and absolute Necessity of it, how scornfully soever a hasty Glance may detract from it.  
But since this Method does discover to us the Brightness and Beauties of every Duty, it unquestionably points out the absolute Necessity o● Universal Holiness, and consequently befriends and adv●●●●●s Religion very much In short, 'tis a great Instrument of a gradual and deep-laid Conviction, and that is the Mother of firm and pious Resolutions; and they are next to the Divine Concurrence, the principal Movements of Growth in Grace; which is nothing lesle than the Cement of Eternal Glory, a Prize which will answer the Cost of our severest Meditation and Endeavour. Wherhfore since Friendly Reproof is so momentous an Office of Friendship that no one can entirely discharge his Duty in that Relation without Reproving; 'Tis very convenient that every Christian should be informed of his indispensable Obligation to reprove his Friend, and be stocked with Rules for the more prudent Administration of it. So that I can foresee no just occasion of making a long Apology for writing a particular Discourse concerning it. And as the Dignity and Usefulness of Friendly Reproof will vindicate me from the Imputation of being lavish of my Time and Ink in handling it thus by itself; so there are many Circumstances which will justify the Publication of it, with an enumeration of which I shall not stand to trouble you. But there's one which I cannot forbear mentioning.  
We live in an Age in which Curiosity itself is almost surfeited with both ingenious and elaborate Tracts on almost all Subjects, and yet Friendly Reproof, Admonition, Gratulation, and the other Offices of fraternal Sociableness have been little more than just skirmished upon and coldly recommended. Whence this strange Oversight took its Rise it is not material now to inquire. To confine my Complaint to the Cause of Reproof. That a Work of this Nature is too much wanted, is very manifest by the so common Omission of this kind of Charity; for not only those Wretches who are enslaved to the worst Habits and intolerable Enormities, but even Men who are strict Livers and exemplary for other Acts of Beneficence, are very stupidly guilty of it. In the first sort, who wallow in very filthy Vices, this Neglect may be suspected to be presumptuous Wickedness; but the constant Circumspection of the latter obliges me in Christian Charity to impute it to the want of due Conviction in them. Indeed I have observed this in a great many pious Christians, who had never a distinct Notion of Friendly Reproof, and confessed they were more at a loss to understand this Moral Duty than any other. 'Twas this Thought which made me commiserate the Condition of my Countrymen, especially of the sincerer Members of our excellent Church. Some have been so courteous as to own that they have gained more Light by my Conferences with them about this Matter than they ever received before, and desired me, for the sake of their Memories, to pleasure 'em with the Publication of a distinct Treatise on this Subject; which Proposal, to speak ingenuously, I was very forward to comply with: For I think it very fitting at such a Time as this, when Lay Christians are so very apt to inveigh against the Laziness and Unsuccessfulness of the Clergy, to acquaint 'em what they aught to do for one another's Souls, among themselves; that they may turn their Boldness against their excellent Pastors into a Severity upon their own Negligence; for, unless I am mistaken, Ministers are as uncapable of being omnipresent as others; and if the Laity will not add their Endeavours to those of their Ministers, God will not condemn these for not converting voluntary Creatures irresistibly, which seems to be more than his own Province.  
Some learned Friends, who had greater Abilities than myself, could not be wrought upon to set about this necessary Work. When Hopes and Requests were defeated, I could not think it becoming one (who had weighed the Usefulness of this Undertaking, and for that Reason had been such an importunate Suitor to others for a distinct Treatise about this Subject) to affect Deafness to the Requests of well-meaning People; not that I think the Requests of Friends are a sufficient Excuse for the Publication of a Book, if the Subject be frivolous, or (though weighty and useful) has been largely & didactically handled before, for this breeds Confusion: But I think that cannot be said in this Case. Men have been very stingy of their Advice about this Duty, unless we can imagine that some few Hints in general Treatises of Friendship, or a casual Sermon or two upon it, are sufficient upon a Subject, barely to explain the Nature of which, common Prejudices considered, will take up near the Compass of two Sermons. 'Twas this Consideration, with my peculiar Love to the Subject, that forced me to review some of my own Papers about it, and transcribe 'em fair for the Press, hoping, that since better Supplies could not be obtained, these Instructions might be accepted kindly, since they may contribute something to the convincing Christians of the Importance of this Duty, and animating them to the prudent Exercise of it. It can be no Breach of Modesty to suppose that it will be better than no particular Discourse about it at all; and perhaps the Simplicity of both the Style and Thoughts may make it fit for the Use of Illiterate People than close and polite Write.  
And now, Reader, my Request is (since I have done my poor Endeavour to bring Reproof into Fashion again, in which Enterprise, if I succeed, I shall do a considerable Piece of Service to my Country and the Cause of Virtue) that you would deign to join your Interest with mine at the Throne of Grace, in a fervent Prayer, that this little Treatise may be honoured with the greatest Encomium, th'etherial of our Minds in the Theory, and of our Conversation and Friendship by the constant and discreet Execution of what we are herein exhorted to.  
With which glorious effect that these Lines may be attended, I cheerfully resign their Fortune to the Blessing and wise Disposal of the gracious Providence of the One invisible and immortal God (to whose Glory my Heart has dedicated them from the Womb) in the Name of Jesus Christ.  
May his Grace be with thy Spirit evermore. Pray for thine and true Friendship's true Friend.   

ERRATA.  
pag. lin. read. 6 17 by the Help. 15 27 Penitence. 18 20 as having. 21 9 Fuel of. 22 12 fortuitous. 40 4 are curbed. 41 19 in their. 43 5 Mercy (which of)  6 is an Instance of Reproof. 44 6 Crimes against. 45 26 irreverent. 51 19 to. 57 3 us. 60 4 on. 62 16, 17 deal not. 75 14 never. 82 29 Faults. 91 7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 92 14 〈◊〉 109 2 unparalled. 116 24 the sole way. 118 29 enclassed. 131 31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. 133 25 Denizon. 134 14 in. 136 24 when. 140 18 of Anger. 150 24 there. 154 23, 24 Sociableness. Courtesy. 155 3 intercourse.  12 theatrized. 162 5 enhansing. 175 31 deal the. 182 24 especially when with. 183 8 are inseparable 199 1 avoidable. 212 7 seed on a. 225 22 the said.  26 my Memory incline.   

The CONTENTS.  

CHAP. I THe Introduction, distributing the whole Work, 1  
CHAP. II Explaining the distinct Nature of Friendly Reproof. 

Sect. 1. of the Occasion and Method of this Chapter, 3  
Sect. 2. Regulating the Thoughts concerning Reproof in general, as it differs from Admonition, Censoriousness and all manner of Upbraiding whatsoever, 5  
Sect. 3 A brief Account of Divine Reproof, both General, and Particular, and Human, viz. the Civil Magistrate's [as the Royal and Judicial] the Ecclesiastical [as the Bishop's] the inferior Minister's, the Husband's, Parent's, Tutor's, Patron's, Master's, Casual and Friendly Reproof considered, as distinct from all the rest. 32    
CHAP. III Proving Friendly Reproof both a Natural and Revealed Duty. 

Sect. 1 An entrance into the Chapter, 70  
Sect. 2. Friendly Reproof proved a Natural or Human Duty, 71  
Sect. 3 Proving Friendly Reproof a Revealed and especially a Christian Duty, 93    
CHAP. IV. Giving a clear and particular Account of all those prerequisite Qualities in the Reprover, who would reprove his Friend with most Success and lest Offence; together with some Plain Rules concerning the dextrous Application of Friendly Reproof intermixed. 

Sect. 1 The entrance into the Chapter, explaining the Term Spiritual in S. Paul, and assigning in general Branches and Degrees of Spirituality, which are requisite for a Friendly Reprover to be furnished with, 103  
Sect. 2. Of Spiritual Love, 107  
Sect. 3 Spiritual Joy, 127  
Sect. 4. Of Spiritual Peace, 138  
Sect. 5. Of Long-Suffering, 150  
Sect. 6. Of Gentleness, 152  
Sect. 7. Of Goodness, 158  
Sect. 8. Of Faith, 161  
Sect. 9 Of Meekness, 166  
Sect. 10. Of Temperance, 172    
CHAP. V Detecting the Vanity of those several Excuses which have been framed for the Omission of Friendly Reproof, 178  
CHAP. VI Proposing some Motives for the Encouragement of the frequent Exercise of Friendly Reproof, 188  
CHAP. VII. An instructive Address to reproved People concerning a grateful Improvement of Friendly Reproof, 194  
CHAP. VIII. Containing some practical Inferences, drawn from the preceding Chapters, 207  
CHAP. IX. The Conclusion, Exhorting Christians to a conscientious Use of the whole Book, 216  
Applicatory Collects of Devotion, 224    

Books Printed for Richard Cumberland, at th● Angel in S. Paul's Churchyard.  
AN Essay for regulating of the Coin: Wherein also is set forth, 1. How we have lost tha● Import of Plate and Bullion we formerly had 2. What is become of the great Quantities of Money coined in the Reign of King Charles II and the preceding Reigns. 3. The Necessity ther● is at this Time for to rectify the present Coin o● the Kingdom. 4. By what Methods the Charge of Calling in the present Money, and bringing i● to a designed Standard may be accomplished 5. Whether the Method proposed for the Advancing of our Money (and the Bullion of which it made) be Convenient or Inconvenient for th● Trade of the Nation; by A. V  
A Poem on the Taking of Namur, by Mr. Denne●  
The Government of the Thoughts: A Prefatory Discourse to the Government of the Tongue by the Author of the whole Duty of Man.  
Serious Reflections on Time and Eternity; with some other Subjects Moral and Divine. To which is annexed, an Appendix concerning th● First Day of the Year, how observed by the Jews, and may best be employed by a serious Christian With an Exhortation to Youth to prepare for Judgement. By John Shower.  
The Batchelor's Directory: Being a Treatise of the Excellence of Marriage. Of its Necessity, and the means to live happy in it. Together with an Apology for the Women against the Calumnies of the Men.   

AN ESSAY Concerning Friendly Reproof.  

CHAP I INTRODUCTION Distributing the whole Work.  
THAT this Useful Subject may be handled as plainly as I can, I shall (God assisting) endeavour,  

I To explain the distinct Nature of Friendly Reproof.  
II To prove that it is both a Natural and Revealed Duty.  
III To give a Clear, Separate and Large Account of those several Qualifications, which are prerequisite in every Friendly Reprover, to apply his Reproof with lest Offence and most Success.  
IV. To detect the Vanity of the Excuses which are usually framed for the Omission of Friendly Reproof.  
V To propose some Motives for the Encouragement of the Constant, Careful and Seasonable Exercise of Friendly Reproof.  
VI To give Christians some easy Rules concerning their Conduct, when they are reproved, and to excite them to a grateful Improvement of their Friend's Reproofs.  
VII. To draw some Practical Inferences from all the foregoing Chapters.  
VIII. To close the whole Discourse with an Humble, Affectionate and Vigorous Exhortation to a wise Compliance with the Design of this Work: And to annex a few applicatery Collects of Devotion.    

CHAP. II Explaining the distinct Nature of Friendly Reproof.  

SECT. I Of the Occasion and Method of this Chapter.  
THE Method, in which I promised to range my Thoughts, obliges me, in the first Place, to give a plain and distinct Account of the Nature of Friendly Rep oof. This will, I doubt, take up more Room th●n I suspected, when I first resolved upon this Undertaking; but, however, 'tis so very needful, that it can't be excusably passed by: For it is impossible for any Writer to represent his Sentiments, about any Subject, in a due Light, unless the Nature of his Subject be first rightly understood. So that, though we should lay down the straitest Rules that can be given concerning applying Reproof, they would be of no more Use to my Reader, before a just Notion of Friendly Reproof has been founded in his Mind, than a Lecture about the various Motions of Light upon our Eyes, whence it is that we see so many Differences in Colours, would be to one born blind, who was always wholly devoid of the Idea of Colour in general. And truly the generality have such a perplexed Idea of the Subject of this Book, that, out of Pity to those mean Capacities, for whose benefit this Treatise was penned, I shall be forced to make use of that Length, in order to disentangle their Minds, which I do not at all delight in. And, moreover, which makes this Enquiry the more necessary, it may easily be observed, That the Irregular Conceptions which most Men always have had, and still do entertain, about Friendly Reproof, have proved very Injurious not only to the Fortune, but also to the Reputation of the Exercise of this Duty, as will shortly appear. Since therefore this Enquiry is so necessary, we will immediately set about it.  
Now our Misapprehensions in the present Case must spring from ●●●her, first a too slight and scanty Definition of Reproof in general: Or secondly from confounding Friendly Reproof with other kinds of Christian Reproof.  
Wherhfore it shall be the Business of this Chapter to make the Nature of Friendly Reproof the better apprehended, by giving,  

I A fixed and liberal Definition of Reproof in General: And,  
II By pointing out the particular Characteristick of Friendly Reproof, which distinguishes it from all other Kind's of Reproof.    

SECT II Regulating the Thoughts concerning Reproof in general, as it differs from Admonition, Censoriousness, and all manner of Upbraiding whatsoever.  
CArnal Prejudice and Inadvertence are the two principal Sources of Error; and doubtless either one or both of them have a great Hand in making the bore telling a Person of a real Fault, before his Face, pass so current with the multitude for a perfect Definition of Reproof, as for the most part it does.  
That this lame Definition is one main Reason why Friendly Reproof is so very Nice and Difficult a Subject, and is very unaccountable, setting aside the great Mischief it has been the Author of, will, I hope, quickly appear to any but such whose great Affection for a Discharge from Duty, dressing up Sin in the Garb of Virtue, and for being honoured at the same Time with the Title of Good and well-besigning Christians, has bribed them to shut their Eyes against Conviction.  
For, to weigh its Consequences: First, if this Account of Reproof is perfect, than Admonition and Reproof are one and the same thing; For if one Man admonishes another against, and the second reproves him for the Commission of the same Fault, after the first had admonished him against it, 'tis evident both these People told that third Person of a Fault to his Face: And 'tis as evident that he who admonished him, and he who reproved him, did two distinct Acts of Beneficence: But these two Acts are confounded by the forementioned Definition of Reproof. But, for Explanation's sake, we will devil a little here, and be beholden to the Light of a few Instances for a thorough Discovery of the Difference between Admonition and Reproof. This I think is the more convenient to be done, because they very often go together, are near-a-kin, and very like, and therefore often mistaken one for the other.  
Admonition and Reproof are both of them extraordinary Acts of Charity to the Soul; they both aim at the Promotion of Virtue, and the Prevention of Sin. Speech and Letters are the sole Instruments of serving Virtue either of these ways. So far they both agreed, their End and Conveyances are the same; but, nevertheless, there are other Circumstances, which make them very remarkably different.  
For first, Admonition puts us in Mind of approaching Dangers, and is tendered purely to instil Caution and Circumspection into a Friend; it has an Eye to the future: But Reproof acquaints of past and actual Faults, and strives to beget in the Offender humble Acknowledgement of, and hearty and complete Penitence for them. For instance, If I am ware that my Friend's Business happens to compel him, as he has regard, though but in a moderate degree, to his own or Family's Temporal Convenience, to meet some Company at some certain Times, who are enslaved to a fondness for Intemperance, and so inur'd to the Scourges of Debauchery that Crapula's are not more than Fleabites, or perchance Pleasures to them; and who design, when they have got my Friend among them, to be forcing Cups and multiplying Healths, not out of Loyalty and Love but a malicious Principle to carry on the Devil's Plot, and to triumph over infirm Constitutions, to whom excess of Liquor is not so portable; I will for the sake of his Welfare indulge my Jealousy of the State of his Soul, and admonish him of it, that he may be armed against the worst, prepare his Heart against the Temptation by Prayer, Deliberation, Consultation, Resolution, and other holy Aids and Policies. Thus, by Help of a loving Whisper, and a seasonable Memento, he may be made both humble enough not to run too hastily into Dangers, and also cheerful, prudent and courageous enough, with a pious Trust in God, who by his Providence has called him to the Conflict (even though he should be one naturally of a frail and limber Disposition) to resist and baffle the Temptation, grapple with Importunity, Reproaches and a crafty Assault, which 'tis hardest of all to withstand; I mean their seeming Civility and pretended Concern for his being fallen into Melancholy, which deprives him of all that Mirth and Pleasure which they enjoy, if we may trust the Surface, the loudness of their Laughter, the Pursiness of their Carcase without peeping within upon those growing Disorders of the Blood, which are very busy in preparing Aches and Pains for their last Years, and a more sumptuous Feast suddenly for Worms.  
Briefly, my dear Friend, by this means may avoid their Vice without shunning their People, be courteous without being caught by their Flatteries, sociable without partaking of their Sin, virtuous not morose, may save his secular Advantage without doing any thing which tends to the Loss of his Soul.  
But, if for all this, or indeed though I had not admonished him, I found him vanquished by Drink when he leaves his Company, I think it my part to arrest the first Opportunity, when his Faculties are recovered, to reprove him for not parting with Men, till he had made himself like a Beast. This is matter of Fact, and therefore Matter of Reproof, not a mere possibility of Sinning, as in the Case of Admonition. A Foresight of Tempration makes Admonition seasonable, but only Compliance with Temptation makes Reproof seasonable.  
But, secondly, Admonition and Reproof differ in as much as Admonition may address to all the Faculties of the Soul, whereas Reproof can only meddle with the Memory and the William. Thus, for instance, if I foresee any Danger of my Friend's being ensnared into the Commission of any certain Sin, though he was never guilty of it to my Knowledge yet I judge it my Duty, as I am his wellwisher, to admonish him against it; if he has ever done it before, that he do it not more, and if he has not done it, to make him still the more carefully cherish and retain his Innocence. Perhaps he is not sensible that such an Action is a Fault; if so, my Admonition informs him that it is such by producing some positive Divine Law, or evidencing it by some clear Deduction from some positive Divine Law, or from some common Principle or other, which all, or at lest most and the soberest, Men grant to be a firm Basis of Arguing. When I thus admomish him, I do an Act of Charity to his Understanding: I implicitly instruct him in such an Admonition; I say implicitly, for I must acquaint you that Admonition and Instruction, though they may be coincident, as in the present Case, are two different Acts, and as distinct from one another as Admonition and Reproof: For though, when I admonish a Friend against a Fault, which he did not know was a Fault, I instruct as well as admonish him, yet since when I began to speak of this Fault, I considered him rather as one whose Soul was approaching to the Brink of Danger (being certain of this, that he was likely to be tempted) than as a Person who was ignorant that his Compliance with the Solicitation, foreseen by me, is sinful and pernicious (for I was uncertain whether or not he knew that it is sinful) 'tis evident that this Exertion of Beneficence was casually, and therefore but materially Instruction, whereas 'twas designedly, and therefore formally Admonition. For though he had not been ignorant that▪ that Compliance with the approaching Temptation is sinful, yet my warning him of it at this Juncture, before the Temptation accosts him, might have been useful by reason of other Circumstances (and if it may be useful where there is no need of Instruction, than they are two distinct Acts) for though this my Friend has been told, and is convinced, that the Sin, which I apprehended him in all likelihood a going to be strongly solicited to, is a Sin, yet perhaps at that time he may be inconsiderate, his Imagination may be obnoxious to Impostures, and may fancy some mighty▪ Purchase in showing his Obedience to the said Solicitation: His Memory and Recollective Faculty may be drowsy, nay perhaps in a dead Sleep. On all or any of these accounts my Admonition may be seasonable, as a charitable deed to his Imagination, by painting to the Life the Deformity of the Sin which lies in wait for him, and the pitifulness of the Benefit which the commission of it can, at the best, bring him in, if that benefit be compared in the Balance with the Favour of God and Conscience, which will be interrupted by his so doing: Now, 'tis advantageous to my Friend, in that Condition, with respect to his Understanding and Memory; at such a Season 'tis a good Office to both of them together; for by awakening the latter it puts the former into a due Posture of Consideration, which is the faithfullest Watchman of the Soul.  
Again, there may be a Time when my Friend may know such or such an Action to be a Sin, but nevertheless may not be ware of his being in instant Danger of being beleaguered by it, unless a Standerby mind him of it, and consequently how well soever his Soul may be habitually prepared against all Temptation, he cannot make such actual Preparation against that particular Temptation, unless he is admonished of it; for 'tis particular Admoninition that makes him capable of making such an actual Preparation as is necessary to countermine those crafty Devices, and powerful Politics which the Devil and his Agents, both within and without him, may use to circumvent and betray him into the Sin.  
But lastly, suppose the Memory should be brisk, and the Understanding be not benighted by Ignorance, nor cankered through Remissness of Thought; nay, though he should have a Foresight of the Danger, yet perhaps the Will may be too pliant and flexible to the Temptation, which I perceive just lighting upon his Head: Perhaps 'tis a Temptation to that Sin to which the Soul yields soon of all, a Sin to which his Nature, Education or Calling inclines him most. The Thoughts may be sound when the Affections lean awry: An ill Bent may be cockered in the Heart, when sound Notions flourish in the Head: He may want to be fortified, though not to be instructed. How seasonable Admonition is, when Matters stand thus, I need not add: All true Christians who feel Divine Sensations in themselves found Temptations very painful to 'em, and consequently found it very difficult to row against the Tide of Temptation, when the Will is so treacherous. Thus you see how Admonition has to do with all the Faculties of the Soul; but Reproof does not reach so far. Reproof strikes not at the Understanding, nor at all tampers with the Imagination: Not wise Man will reprove his Friend for Ignorance, unless 'tis wilful; and than he reproves him not for his Ignorance, but for his foolishly abusing the Opportunities he had to improve his Mind by Knowledge, which would have prevented that Ignorance. 'Tis uncreasonable to blame a Person for what could not be avoided. Ignorance considered abstractly from the Will is a Misfortune, not a Fault: A Pagan can't be blamed for not coming to the Lord's Table: 'Tis no Omission of Duty in him, because he knew it not to be a Duty; but he may be justly reproved for being churlish or slothful, since the unreasonableness of such Habits may be learned in Nature's School, and for that Reason they are such Habits as lie open to the Condemnation of the Mind, unassisted by external Condemnation. Faults only are the Subject of Reproof; now a Fault is, in more Words, any thing done or omitted with the consent of the Will, in opposition to that degree of Knowledge, which the Mind is in present possession of, concerning good and evil. Knowledge is presupposed before the Will is capable of offending: Now Knowledge is the Subject of the Intellect, and therefore where it is wanting it must be infused by Instruction, for the Intellect is the Object of Instruction. The Intellect is the sole part of Man which is capable of being assisted by that Help; whereas Admonition assists all the Powers of the Soul, sometimes severally, and sometimes two or more of them together: All the Faculties of the Soul are the possible Objects of it, as I think hath been sufficiently shown: Whereas Reproof deals only with the Will and the Memory: The Will is the principal Object of its Relief, for it excites the Memory only, that the Will may be set to Rights. When one Man reproves another, he does not stand to tell him, That such an Action is a Fault (for he supposes that the Reproved knows that already, for otherwise it would be his Business to instruct, not to chide) but he puts him in Mind that he committed that Fault, jest he should forget it, and so not humble his Soul and repent of it, that he may dread it the more for the future.  
Briefly, Souls in the State of Danger are the Objects of Admonition; but Souls in a state of Actual, new-contracted Gild are the Objects of Reproof. Admonition promotes Vigilance, Reproof advances Patience, that Admonition against the Sin, after 'tis repent of, may take the deeper Root in the Mind and Memory.  
Thirdly, Another Difference between Admonition and Reproof is this; the Subjects of Admonition are more than the Subjects of Reproof: Admonition may safely meddle with Internal as well as External Acts and Habits: Whereas Reproof can't safely touch upon any Faults, but those which are visible to the Senses; which we prove thus.  
God's general Prohibition of Pride, Malice, Envy; etc. together with every individual human Creature's selfconsciousness of his being apt to be tainted with these malignant Dispositions of Spirit in such and such Circumstances sufficiently ascertains us that every Man is liable to be distempered with one or more of these Maladies, according to the Variety of Conditions to which he is obnoxious, unless Care is used to fill the Pores of the Soul with Thoughts which are of a sufficiently Divine and Powerful Nature, to obstruct the Inroad of the Infection. For since God does nothing in vain, 'tis clear that he would not have prohibited those Habits, had he not foreseen a Necessity of such a Prohibition; that is to say, that we should all of us, some time or other be more or lesle tempted to all or some of them by bad Spirits: And as his both gracious and general Prohibition of them suggests that every Man lies open to these Arrows of the Host of Hell, so does every Man's self consciousness suggest the same thing too (which was the second Proof hinted) since all Men are of the same Frame and Nature with every Man, as well internally as externally (for God loves Uniformity in Works of the same kind) and therefore all do meet with such Injections, more or lesle, whilst they are here; though individual human Creatures different Use of their common Nature, and that common Grace which is tendered to them all, to improve the common Faculties of the said common Nature (which different Use of the said common Opportunities qualifies them for different Degrees of particular Grace) may make some Souls abler, and others lesle able to resist these Injections of the Devil and his Agents: For though God rewards an extraordinary Improvement of common Grace, with Additions of greater spiritual Strength, in proportion to the said Improvement, which makes such improved Souls the more difficultly passable to the Injections of the Devil; as also, though the notorious Abuse of common Grace lays the Souls of wicked Men more pervious to the Injections of bad Spirits, through the want of that Strength which decays by the diminution of particular Grace, of which God in just Judgement deprives them, yet all are vulnerable in this state. When the Good shall enter into their ultimate State of Happiness, and the Wicked into their ultimate State of Misery; they may be both properly enough said to be invulnerable: For the Saints will be perfectly invulnerable there, where they will be out of the Reach of all Temptation, where no Devil can any more come near to assault them than they can found it possible to wound God himself, in whose Presence they continually devil; and than the damned may be said to be perfectly invulnerable, because their Souls are all wound and anguish, and are not receptive of more horrible Impressions from the whole Camp of Darkness than those Torments which are inseparable to their state of Eternal Damnation. Now, as the Blessed and the Damned will have invulnerableness common to them both in their last State, so 'tis common to them both while they are in this State, as have not undergone as long a Trial as Providence has designed for them, to have vulnerable Souls, as well as vulnerable Bodies. Indeed their common vulnerableness here does admit of Degrees, whereas invulnerableness admits of none, and the Good can't be said to be as easily vulnerable as the Wicked, yet they are both vulnerable. Bad Spirits must be at more Expense to wound a good Christian than a bad one, yet the best Christian is capable of being wounded. Now 'tis this Universal Sense of the vulnerableness of Human Nature, taken in its full latitude, that is to say, Soul and Body, sometimes singly and sometimes together, which is planted by Nature in every Man's Mind, that warrants a tender and affectionate Jealousy, which Men, who have a judicious Kindness for their Friends, feel, at some Seasons, glowing in their Breasts for one another's Souls. Consequently, 'tis not only lawful but laudable to forewarn a Friend against those Stains and Pollutions of the Heart, Pride, Envy, Malice, uncharitableness, Pusillanimity, Distrusting Divine Providence, Immoderate Confidence in Self, etc.  
Admonition against Pride and Elation of Spirit is seasonable when my Friend is on a sudden raised to a higher Preferment than he did or could expect: And if he should by some Private or Public Revolution be brought to endure Hardship, to struggle with a narrow Fortune or Contempt, 'twill be seasonable to admonish him against giving Way to Dejection of Mind, Despondence, Discontent, Impatience, prostituting his Conscience, and the like: And whoever thinks himself above being admonish against such hurtful Habits, because he is so happy as not to crouch under them at present, forgets his Make and State, forgets that he is of a brittle Frame, that he has a Soul that is as liable to be dilapidated by Devils, as his Body is by the Hostility of any of the Elements: He forgets that he is in a State of floating Circumstances, a State of Cumber and Combat, where the Saints triumphant were formerly militant: In short, he forgets that he is on this Side of Heaven, where many who once stood, have, for want of Vigilance, and probably, through the scornful Neglect of Admonition, in particular, desperately fallen.  
But since 'tis given to no Man to know his Friend's Heart any farther than he can gather from his own Information, and the common Tenor of his Carriage; and, moreover since no Man is fatally proud when he is Rich, Ingenious, Learned or in Dignity or great Esteem; or necessitated to envy his Thriving Enemy, or hate his Competitor, or to blaspheme the Council of Heaven in Adversity, though all Men are too much in Danger of being daubed with such odious Qualities, it follows, that such internal Habits in particular People are not capable of being reproved, unless the Owners of the Heart's infested with such Leprosies make an ingenuous Confession of such Internal Disorders, though they are in their own Nature worthy of Reproof: They are Subjects of General and unfixt Reproof, but we cannot safely arraign This or That, or a Third Person, as guilty of them, because Hearts are inscrutable to human Eyes, and 'tis Wisdom not to sport with God's Prerogative.  
Indeed, when we plainly see a Person carry himself too magisterially, and making a Theatre of his Heart by arrogant boasting; and a second make every inoffensive Word Fuel or Flame; or a third railing often against a particular Person behind his Back, this untoward Mien of theirs, licences us to suspect that Envy, Self conceit, or a quarrelsome Temper lurks and ferments in their Hearts: And because since we are Creatures capable of Suspicion, and conscious of the like Passions in ourselves, when our animal Spirits undergo the like Agitations, we can't help harbouring Suspicions arising from Probabilities: For probable Evidence is the clearest we can have of one another's Hearts: 'Tis prudent immediately to turn these Suspicions into Charities, by admonishing People of such Conversations against the forementioned ill Tempers of Mind: For it squares with our natural Notion of God's being a Good and Gracious Being, to believe that this Passion of Suspicion was planted in our Nature, to fit us to heal one another's Sores, not to make us dissociable and Devils to one another: But we should never humour such Suspicions till they extort from us a positive Sentence, and indeed by admonishing we keep ourselves from being betrayed into the Presumption of reproving in such a Case. Marvel not, Reader, that I said Presumption, for though the Sentence may be materially true, yet it cannot be formally equitable in. Man's Mouth, because he has no right to judge his Fellow's Heart, our utmost Rule of judging it by, being but Probability; for all Men must grant that Conjectures and Guesses are but fortuitous Judgements, and therefore can't be equitable, till Fortune and Providence can be proved the same Being. Whence we may discern, that though we may safely speak against Pride and such internal Habits, whatever they are, indeterminately, as Ministers in the Pulpit, and Authors in Books, yet no Man can safely reprove another for Pride or any internal sinful Habit, because Faults visible to the Senses are the sole subject of Reproof in particular People; but internal Habits don't lie open to the Discovery of Sense, which must, I think, be granted to make a very remarkable Difference between Admonition and Reproof.  
An Instance may make this clearer. Suppose two People, who profess to be my Friends, wrote two Books, one of them a trifling Pamphlet for the Socinians, or against this Government, which God created and still preserves in so marvellous a manner (I said created, for the late Revolution was so surprising that the effecting of it can properly be expressed by nothing but such a Term, which denotes an instantaneous Act of the Divine Power) or, in short, in Defence of any Opinion and Faction which aims at the Destruction of Peace in Church or State, I should think it my Duty, as a Friend (I don't pretend to inform the Magistrate what is his) to rebuke him sharply for contributing much to the Interest of the black Republic below. This is a palpable Breach of Peace, and therefore gives just Occasion of sharp Rebuke. But suppose my other Friend composed his Book on an useful Subject, and fit to serve the Honour and Kingdom of Christ in their Hearts, who peruse it with that Attention, Mixture of Devotion, Candor and Condescension, which becomes wise and honest Readers, I should think it very proper to forewarn this Friend against over-rating himself in his own Thoughts for his Performance, or by reason of the Applause which it may be the Instrument of to him: And this I would do, as well knowing that the Devil is a very indefatigable subtle Enemy: If he can't discourage Men by Sloth, and a contracted Spirit from endeavouring to serve the Public, he will, after their Service to the Public, be flinging in some Ideas and Fancies into the Minds of Public Benefactors; which, if they are hospitable to, will grow into that dangerous Habit Pride, which makes Men idle and ridiculous by their haughty Carriage, which will lessen their Reputation, and so lessen the Power of their Endeavours, by prejudicing People against their People: But now, if instead of Admonishing this Friend, I had arraigned him of Vainglory and Pride, as I did the other for his Heresy or Faction, I should have affronted God, by usurping that Tribunal which is proper only to Omniscience, and so by my Pride missed of doing that Good which my Admonition might very fairly expected to have done. In short, an Author of a Pernicious Book is an Object of Reproof, but an Author of a Good Book is an Object of frequent Admonition against Pride and Vainglory.  
Fourthly and lastly, Admonition and Reproof differ, because Admonition is given without any degree of Displeasure, but 'tis fitting to express Displeasure in proportion to the Fault, when we tender Reproof. The Usefulness of Admonition is bottomed upon the peccability of Human Nature: That which prompts us is Jealousy, a still and silent Passion; consequently, to be angry with a Friend, while we admonish him, is to be angry with him, because he is peccable, which is very absurd; as absurd, we may be sure, as to charge God foolishly, and to note down the Defects of his Handiwork: He did not make Man perfect in that sublime Sense in which he himself is perfect. That Liberty and Principle of voluntary Agency with which Man was invested as soon as he was created, is God's Work, essential to him as a human Creature, and therefore peccability or possibility of Sinning is the Work of the Creator; for a faculty of Acting Voluntarily implies a Power of a different Choice, and therefore Man's being a voluntary Agent implies that he may choose which he will have, Life or Death, Good or Evil, for they are both set before him; that is to say, he may sin or obey, and if he is made so, that he may sin, than he is peccable, for by a peccable Creature we mean only a Creature that may sin, not a Creature that must sin.  
But when we reprove a Friend, we are warm with Grief to see our second Self choose Evil, when he might as well have chose the Good: 'Tis monstrous Folly to abuse Knowledge, and employ Liberty in the Ruin of our Souls. Possibility of Sinning can by no means be removed from our Natures, till 'tis throughly completed and glorified; indeed when we shall commence Saints, peccability will be as remote from our Being's, as possibility of becoming Holy is from the Souls of the damned. Nevertheless, no one necessarily commits any particular actual Sin, which cannot be denied, unless we suppose Man rather a machinal than a voluntary Being. Now since no one fatally commits any visible Sin, though we are all originally unclean from the Womb, and since Gild is the Bane of our Being, one Friend's Fraternal Concern for another's Welfare, will not only urge him to use all loving Arts to defend his Friend against approaching Temptations, by Admonition, but moreover compels him to be troubled in his behalf, whenever he sees him worsted by them; and Gild being a Calamity which every Man has a Hand, more or lesle, in pulling upon his own Head; this Grief will naturally swell into Anger, since the offending Friend might have avoided it, if he had used his Powers as he aught. Besides too, Reproof has to do with the Will, a very refractory Faculty indeed; to be sure more or lesle perverse after any fresh Commission, which, for that Reason, can't be handled to any purpose, viz. so as to be mastered in order to it's being rectified again by any but such a rough and rigid Passion as Anger is, which speaks aloud, and awakens a Friend's Sense of his Misery, and want of extraordinary Discipline and Watchfulness. Whence 'tis clear that Resentment becomes Reproof, though it ill comports with Admonition. This may suffice concerning the difference between Admonition and Reproof. But though I have insisted on it some while, yet I think myself obliged to give notice, that I neither pretend to have given, or did at all design to give, a full account of the distinct Nature of Admonition, which, God assisting, shall be the Subject of a particular Treatise: But thus much I thought necessary to premise in this Place to distinguish Reproof from Admonition, because I have observed that those few Authors, who have been prevailed upon to speak a little, too little, I'm sure, of Reproof, have confounded it with Admonition, which has made their Discourses about it, to say not worse, fruitless and insignificant. But since Admonition and Reproof differ in so many respects, 'tis manifest that the forementioned Definition of Reproof is very imperfect, because it confounds two distinct Acts of Spiritual Beneficence, which is of a very pernicious Consequence.  
For first, He that takes these two Acts for one and the same Duty, must take it also for granted, that when he has discharged one he has discharged both, so that he ll either content himself with Admonishing his Friend against complying with Temptations, without ever reproving him for actual Compliances with them, or else he'll only reprove him for actual Transgressions of Divine Precepts, without ever admonishing him against those ill Propensions and inveterate Disorders of the inner Man, which are the sole Sources of all the Irregularities of the Tongue, and all our other active and social Faculties.  
Nay, moreover, secondly, This curt Definition of Reproof, by confounding Admonition with it, not only affronts the Law, by lessening our Duty, and impairs human Virtue by contracting our Charity, but it also fondles one of the most scurvy Humours which disturb Conversation; for it gives a Patent to Censoriousness, even that odious, turbulent, pestilential Vice, Censoriousness: For let Admonition and Reproof be once allowed to be the same, the pragmatical may censure with Authority; for since a Friend may safely admonish another against such or such an ill Bias of Mind, a Man may also, according to their Notion of Reproof, innocently reprove a Person for an internal, invisible, vicious Inclination, by which Reproof he inclusively denominates him guilty, in such or such a degree of Discontent, Self-conceit, Envy, Vainglory, or any the like malignant Disposition (I say in such or such a degree, because the subject of a particular Reproof must be visible enough to have its Aggravations pondered, that the Resentment of the Reproof may be proportioned to the Size of the Fault) which can't be done without passing Sentence upon the Heart, where none but God and Conscience have a Right to decide Cases: Not Hypothesis can be found which reconciles Quarrelsomness and Charity, Vice and Virtue, Duty and Disobedience, and attempts to make us believe that 'tis possible to please God and the Devil the fame way. He who censures his Friend to extort Occasions of Reproof, though he should judge right, judges so but by good hap; he might as well have played the Slanderer, for Man is a very blind Judge of his Neighbour's Heart. Wherhfore such a Method is but doing Evil that Good may come of it; 'tis to commit Sin to do our Duty, please the Devil for fear we should displease God, a very gainless Entrance upon a Christian Office without doubt. This is a necessary Caution here; for though some are so malicious as to effect such gross and palpable Errors, yet there are others ignorant enough to be led aside and deluded through Simplicity; and doubtless 'tis not an Entanglement so inconsiderable that weak Minds can be quickly extricated from it. When Censoriousness and Reproof are dissembled to be of the same Blood, scrupulous Christians will either reject the Duty, through hatred of the Sin, or run into the Sin for love of the Duty; the latter Choice too, which is the worse, is most likely to be preferred; for ordinary Christians, when they're cramped are apt to be dazzled into Sin by the gaudy Prospect of doing a good turn, when they should stand still a little, and thereby take Care not to be imposed on by the glittering Appearance of the stolen Robes of Zeal, jest when patiented Examination has sounded the Allurement, it be discovered to be Sin in Disguise. They are rash and turned about by Pretences, they will pretend mightily to do good by Reproof, when in Truth they reprove not at all, but only busy themselves to created Mischief and Contention, ill Words and ill Works enough by their Censoriousness.  
But 2. If bore telling a Person of a real Fault, before his Face, is a perfect Definition of Reproof, than unmannerly Exprobration is so, for he that upbraids a Person of a Fault, must be owned to tell him of that Fault. But alas! should we grant Upbraiding to be Reproof, how strangely must we needs blacken Reproof? What a monstrous Opinion of this excellent Duty must it needs beget in Man's Minds? for, according to this Standard, a treacherous Familiar, who blabs out the lesser Faults and Infirmities of his Friend, among his Enemies, if it be but before his Face, may be said to reprove.  
Nay, even Solomon's Fool, the profane Scoffer, who makes a Mock at Sin, and hits his Friend on the Teeth with his Failing, only to feast on his Shame, and make Pastime on his Wretchedness; this Burden, I say, of the Community, may, with the rest too, cloak his Villainy under the fine Name of Reproof. Away therefore, with a Vengeance, with such an account of Reproof which gives Sanctuary to Atheistical and Pragmatical Men.  
We have hitherto been setting a Mark upon all Counterfeit Reproof: 'Tis Time now to seek out for some more tolerable Definition of Reproof, that we may rub out those Stains which some giddy Pretenders have so industriously dropped upon this excellent Duty. Reproof than, in general, is the telling any Person of his Fault, with a peculiar Regard to the Advancement of Virtue, in such a manner as comports with his Relation to the Offender, who tells him of the Fault. The Knowledge of the proper Methods which must be used to serve this great End by Reproof, is divers, according to the peculiar Nature of the Reproof: For there are several kinds of Reproof, of which we must necessarily give some brief Account, before we can lay down a plain and clear Notion of Friendly Reproof. This therefore shall be done next.   

SECT. III Giving a brief Account of Divine Reproof, both General and Particular: And Human, viz. the Civil Magistrate's [as the Royal and Judicial] the Ecclesiastical [as the Bishop's] the inferior Minister's, the Husband's, Parent's, Tutor's, the Patron's, the Master's, Casual and Friendly Reproof considered, as distinct from all the rest.  
ANother Cause which was assigned for Man's wrong Notions of Friendly Reproof, is their confounding it with other kinds of Reproof. Wherhfore, having, I hope, already said enough to rectify their Conceptions of Reproof in general, I beg, your Attention to a brief Summary of the several sorts of Reproof, together with a plain account of the distinct Nature of every one of them, that you may with the greater Ease distinguish them among themselves, but especially from Friendly Reproof: And to prevent Offence, I hereby desire you to remember, That Friendly Reproof is the sole Subject of this Essay, and for that reason not to expect any Directions about the Management of the others. I freely confess that I have no Talon, neither does it become one in my Station to offer Advice to Bishops and Magistrates, neither does the Title-page promise' to give any Rules about any but Friendly Reproof; and I hope it can be construed Presumption in no one to pretend to understand the Duty of a Friend, since Friendship is a common Relation to all who obey Nature's Instinct to a rational Sociableness. In short, my sole Reason for mentioning the rest is, that you may discriminate this from them, jest I should seem by urging Friendly Reproof thus at large, without marking down the Distinctions, to confounded Clerks and Laymen.  
Reproof is either Divine or Human. The Divine is General or Particular. General, as first, the public denunciation of God against all sin, in the Write immediately inspired by his Spirit: And secondly, the Conviction of Universal Conscience, that innate Sense of the Eternal Unreasonableness of some Actions, which checks us in the doing them, and causes an Uneasiness in bad Men, in their first entrance on sinful Courses, and which tears their Minds with such terrible Lancinations, when they consider and Reflect upon their Offences. Particular, as the Checks and Convictions of every Man's particular Conscience, attended with more or lesle Horror or Remorse, according to the different Circumstances which mitigate or aggrandise the Offender's Sins, and the Measure of the Operations of the Divine Spirit, whose Incitements to Repentance in particular Hearts, may very fairly be reckoned one sort of Divine Reproof. This latter is the more extraordinary Reproof; but 'tis hard, perhaps impossible to assign a Point where the natural Remorse terminates, and the Spiritual gins. But there is no need of insisting on the Divine Reproof: This cannot involuntarily be confounded with Friendly Reproof. I hasten therefore to speak of the Human.  
Now Human Reproof is of several sorts, for there is the Civil Magistrate's [as the Prince's and the Judge's] the Ecclesiastical Magistrate's [as the Bishop's] the Inferior Minister's, the Husband's, the Parent's, the Tutor's, the Patron's, the Master's, Casual and Friendly Reproof.  
The first that occurs is the Civil Magistrate's Reproof. To know the peculiar Nature, Necessity, and (by consequence) Lawfulness of this Reproof in general, we must consider that though all Sins, be they greater or lesle, either in Number or Quality, make every Man a worse Member of a Commonwealth than otherwise he would be, yet there are some Offences and Crimes so notorious, and which have such a fatal aspect upon the Prosperity and Peace of a Kingdom, that by reason of the anomalous Tempers of some dissociable and rapacious Wretches, there could be no safe or steady Commerce in the World, if they were not restrained by the Shame of Public Cognizance and the Dread of Political Sanctions, prohibiting Vices which tend directly to the unhinging Government, and quiet Neighbourhood in the World. Without the Protection of these Laws we could not plant in Peace, or sow with Hope: We could neither enjoy the Fruit of our Hands, nor the Merits and Treasures of our Ancestors, without continual Fear of violent Usurpation, and being hastily dislodged, not only of our Possessions, but of our Bodies too, by Men of bloody and wild Desires. Now the Magistrates are the Guardians of these Faithful Guardians of our Lives and Liberties: They execute their Commands, and so act the noble part of the Patriots of the Kingdom. This is their Calling and Profession, and a great and honourable one it is: Their Reproof of such horrid Crimes is not given so much for the sake of the particular Offenders as of that Contract and Intimacy which they have entered into with the Laws.  
The Temporal Magistrate's Reproof may be divided into Royal and Judicical.  
The Royal Reproof in our Monarchical, the best kind of, Government is, when the supreme Magistrate, either of his own accord, or in concurrence with some Resolution of that great Council and Fortress of the Realm, the Parliament, issues out Proclamation against such and such Vices, and threatens agreeable Penalties to be undergone by all who commit them. Now this sort of Admonition is General and an Implicit and unfixt Reproof, because in forbidding such and such Practices, with Menaces annexed against the Committers of them for the future, it tacitly and inclusively expresses a Displeasure against the said Practices, and all who have indulged themselves in them before, though the People reproved are unknown and unnamed. Thus Kings are said to be Terrors to evil doers, attending continually upon this very thing, viz. to be the avengers of the Public upon them who do evil, that under them we may lead peaceable Lives in all Godliness and Honesty. Prince's therefore reprove their Subjects for these Vices, as they are Fathers of their several Countries, and because they have a tender concern for the Welfare and regular Order of them. Love for Souls, Affection for Religion aught to be the Cardinal Motive of all Reproof whatsoever. But that which particularizes the Prince's Reproof, is his Zeal for the good of a set number of Human Creatures considered, as they constitute the same Community. Whence it follows that the Royal Reproof has primarily an Eye to the Temporal Prosperity of the Reproved, because Communities are only capable of Temporal Rewards. They always flourish and decay at the long-run, according as Virtue or Vice has the greatest Head in them. This is unavoidable; for how otherwise shall we be able to vindicate to our poor Apprehensions God's Government and Administration of the Human Universe? What will become of the Equity of his Proceed? Shall not the Judge of the whole Earth do right? Shall not he, whose Nature is the Exemplar of Virtue, confer proper Rewards on it? But if virtuous and vicious Communities can't be rewarded and punished hereafter, our natural Notion of God's infinite Justice obliges us to believe that Kingdoms are more or lesle prosperous as they are more or lesle virtuous; but it is evident that it is impossible for Polities, as Polities, to be judged, rewarded or punished after this state. For though Polity itself will survive it, yet the Polities that are now by reason of the different Preparations which the different individual constituent Parts of them make for the other World, will be than irreparably dissolved. Besides, Catholic and National Righteousness, not only by God's Blessing, but if I may so speak, by the Decree of its own Tendency exalts a Nation; and, on the contrary, Sin is, by its natural Tendency too, the Destruction of any People, and supplants the Throne, by naturally centring to an opposite Point. So that it is not only the Duty, but the Interest of Princes to discourage and reprove Libertinism.  
Her most Gracious Majesty (whose late Decease turned our Feasts into Mourning, and hung the Hearts of all those true Christians, who were true Friends to the English Zion, in Sackcloth) expressed a maternal Care for her Subjects in those Pious Letters which she sent to the Justices of Middlesex, for the vigorous carrying on a National Reformation; and I hearty wish that those whose extraordinary Judgement, eminent Stations, and other Opportunities licences them to be guilty of such an useful Presumption, as the reminding them frequently of their weighty Obligation thereunto, would pleasure his Sacred Majesty, the Tower of Europe, under God, by an unwearied conformity to that excellent Command. Sure I am, unless that late dismal Frown of Heaven found more success upon the Minds and Manners of the ungrateful People of this Land than the rest have found, those Catifs of Unconstancy, who can requited God's Kindness with nothing but Murmurs, will, without the Interposal of such unusual and undeserved Mercy, which God has displayed to this Island during the present Reign, for his Name's sake, and the sake of two such excellent Princes, apprehended something quickly, which will draw a Veil of black Darkness over their Faces. Oh! may they at last learn to be as wise in this their Day, as they are already in their own Eyes, and to prise the Peace of our Jerusalem, before Mercy is for ever hid from their Eyes.  
The Judicial Reproof is the inferior Magistrate's Reproof of any Person or People, who are detected to be guilty of such and such Crimes, after they had been fairly forewarned against them by the Royal Reproof; and because that Reproof did not prove powerful enough to keep them within Bounds, the Judge or Justice inflicts some Pecuniary or Capital Punishment, or other, which may for Pain and Disgrace match the Criminal's Offence: This he is obliged to do, in Obedience to the supreme Magistrate, from whom he received his Commission: 'Tis his Fidelity to his Prince, which peculiarizes his Reproof.  
As for Socinians and others, who hold Capital Punishments Unlawful under the Evangelical Dispensation, they manifestly represent the Christian Religion to introduce and abet Anarchy: For since all Men are not overawed into Innocence by the Belief of a future Judgement, some are too unreasonable, to let any Government be secure unless they are bribed by the terrible Apprehension of a visible Tribunal: Nothing strikes them but what is sensible and present. Since there is so much Disorder even now, what would the World be but a Chaos, if such Inflictions should be laid aside? Our Blessed Lord could never design Christians to omit that Discipline which Gentiles and Jews have constantly observed: If Christ has tied up the Magistrate's Hands, so that he can't conscientiously defend innocent Subjects from the Fury and Outrage of the Injurious and Bloodthirsty, 'twill be impossible to clear the inspired S. Paul from the Gild of a Lie, who expressly tells us, That the Power holds not the Sword in vain; which is such horrid Blasphemy that it can't be mentioned by any modest Christian without horror and trembling. In short, Capital Punishments and Christian Charity agreed very well, since Malefactors are executed for no Crimes but those which have a direct malign Influence upon Community: For it is unreasonable to think that Charity can flourish upon the Ruins of Kingdoms. The Magistrate being thus severe to some few, is clement and equitable to the whole.  
But perhaps you may admire to see the Judge's Condemnation called Reproof: But however, if we look narrowly into the Use and Design of it, 'tis such, and a very terrible sort of Reproof, I confess: The good God grant that neither You nor I, Reader, may ever plunge ourselves into such a Depth of Gild as to stand in need of this Ferula.  
That the Judge's Condemnation is one sort of Reproof, will appear, if we consider, First, That no Human Condemnation is a final Condemnation: And, Secondly, That those notorious Malefactors (who, in all probability were seared, so as never to have come to any sense of their Spiritual Danger, and who, for that Reason, would, without the Application of the rigidest Methods always have persisted in the pernicious Course of Life, every Day growing worse and worse, till some Disaster or other had hurried them down headlong into the nethermost Hell, in a desperate and impenitent Posture of Soul) are allowed more or lesle Space of Time between the Sentence of Death and the Hour of their Execution to repent in. And if we consider, Thirdly, That the finding themselves stopped, together with the Chariot-wheels of Life, in their Villainous Career, by the Magistrate's Authority, is the most likely means to incline such obdurate Wretches to Repentance; for if they are not utterly past feeling, this Consideration must cut deep, and work upon them, to make the best Use of their sorry Quantum of Time, by Restitution, Acts of Sorrow, Humiliation, Faith and Devotion. And farther, if we consider, Fourthly, ' That this abortive Repentance will both warn others the more solemnly, and give some Hopes of Salvation to the Offender, since we can't but grant, in the Fifth Place, That the lest Degree of Penitence and Hope waiting upon such Repentance, is far better than perfect Impenitence and Despair; because though we should grant that it would be no Breach of Moderation to believe that this Degree of Repentance can't procure Interest enough in the Court of Heaven to get a Ticket of Jesus for their Admission into that Place, yet I can't think it a piece of Rashness to assert, That 'twill help to mitigate their Torments in Hell which does some Kindness to the Criminals, and renders them more useful Examples of Justice to the Spectators of their tragical End, whose Satisfaction, Safety and Admonition is the main End of their being executed. For the severest Infliction which does not leave those, on whom it is inflicted, wholly hopeless, as to their Eternal Happiness, and may serve to discourage Vice in those of their Fellow-Creatures, who are yet in a Capacity of determining God's final Sentence upon their Souls by their demeanour here, either to the Satisfaction of his infinite Justice, or the Pleasure of his infinite Mercy; which capacity all the Spectators are still presumed to be in possession of. Nay, who knows but the eternal Incubation of God's fiery Wrath upon the Souls of the Devil and the Damned, after their final Condemnation, may be one great means after the Day of Judgement of the Eternal Confirmation of Angels and Saints in their State of perfect Beatitude? What will be irreversible Punishment to Fiends, will be admonition to the blessed above, and probably of as great Use to the Saints and those Angels who never apostatised from God, as Reproof was to the Saints in this preparatory State, where they got the mastery of their Corruptions. But not to digress, the Premises, I think, being seriously considered, the Judge's Condemnation of Malefactors may very properly be called Reproof. But since the Judge's Condemnation may be properly enough termed Reproof, the inferior Inflictions of the Civil Magistrate may very properly be placed in the Number of Reproof, since they don't so much as include an Abbreviature of the Criminal's stay here, after which all our Endeavours to avoid the final Condemnation, or to lessen the Weight of it will be in vain.  
The Ecclesiastic Reproof offers itself next.  
'Tis twofold. First, The Bishop's or Spiritual Magistrate's. Secondly, The Inferior Ministers. By Episcopal Reproof I mean the Church Censures; the Subjects of this Reproof are not only enormous Crimes, the Capital Laws of the Realm, but Profaneness and avowed Heresy, scornful Contempt of the Lord's Supper, and such like; because any who are obstinately Guilty of these Crimes, are scandalous Members of Christ's Catholic, but especially of that National Church, with which they profess Communion, and are Excommunicated by the Bishop, or punished by some lower Mulcts. according to the Aggravations of their Crime, by the Bishops, who are the Spiritual Fathers, and do reprove such disorderly Members thus, not only to reform them (for the blasphemous are mostly too obdurate to learn not to blaspheme) but for the Credit and Safety of that Church, over which they preside, because a desperate Disease requires a desperate Cure. But though the Recovery of the ejected Members is very Hopeless, yet the Honour of the Church may be secured. Such strict Discipline is necessary, to show that the Immoralities and fantastic Opinions of Hypocritical and Lewd Professors are not encouraged and sealed by the Church, but are the Creatures of their own imperious Lusts and Ambitions. 'Tis necessary that Infectious Members should be branded with a Mark of Infamy, to the end others may avoid them, till they are got quit of their Murrain, if they are not incurable. The Ecclesiastical Magistrate's Reproof is an Act of Fidelity to the Church, in which he is a Provincial or Diocesan Prelate.  
The Private Minister's Reproof is either his condemning any Sin or Sins in general before a whole Congregation; by which Denunciation He Publicly, but, nevertheless, Indeterminately (for this is no proper Season to apply a particular Reproof) reproves all there present, whose Consciences testify silently against them: Or, secondly, his reprehending particular People in his Parochial Circuit: 'Tis his Office to reprove both in Season and out of Season. A fervent Ardour for the Improvement of his Flock in Goodness engages him to do this: 'Tis incumbent on him upon the account of his Susception of the Pastoral Care. The chief Subjects of his Reproof are, His Parishioners Neglect of the Public Worship, irreverend Behaviour in the Temple, infrequent or temerarious Celebration of the Eucharist, apparent Fruitlesness under the Ordinances, Omission of Family Devotion, neglecting to instruct their Children in the Principles of Religion, indifferency as to the Minds and Manners of their Servants or Children, etc. A Minister reproves, as the Angle or Messenger of GOD, and as the Ambassador of JESUS CHRIST. He is not only the Feeder but the Inspector, Moderator and Discipliner of the Laity committed to his Tuition, according to the old Use of that known Phrase, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; and therefore a peculiar Freedom of Speech becomes him: His Gown and Unction bespeak Veneration to his Reproof, from People of all Qualities and Degrees: He may reprove often, and without Offence, and needs no familiarity with the reproved party beforehand, to gain him Authority, and Permission to do so.  
Come we now to speak of the Husband's Reproof. The Husband has a Right to reprove his Wife, by virtue of the conjugal Relation. He is her Superior not only by Sex and Order of Creation (for Adam was first formed, than Eve) but her Lord (so Sarah called Abraham) by Marriage. The proper Subjects of his Reproof are Instances of wry or profuse Management of Oeconomical or Houshold-Affairs: The Chief End of Marriage is to procure a Family, and to keep it regular and in decent Order. The Husband is to provide Necessaries for the Family, and when he reproves his Wife he has a peculiar Eye to the good of his Family: He knows that the Manners and Welfare of his Children, Inferior Relations and Servants, that are under his Inspection, hung very much upon the good or indiscreet Conduct of his Wife, and therefore watches her Carriage the more closely, for she is Governess of the Family just as he is her Governor. Hence it is, that to be much at home, has been always reputed a great Character of a Woman.  
PARENTS have a Right to reprove their Children, not only because they are inferior to 'em, but also upon the Score of a proximate and consanguineous Relation. Their Reproofs enter with great Advantage, and therefore, if they please, they may reprove very successfully, and do a great deal of Good with their Tongues this way, for tender Years are easily suppled. Good God what Cruel Monstrous Creatures are some Parents, who, though they are called upon by their own Bowels, a Tenderness planted in them by the immediate Hand of Nature, to correct and reprove their Children (and thereby prevent ill Customs, which take fast Possession in green Years, when their Minds are very malleable and docile, and consequently tenacious of any, but especially bad Impressions) can so unconcernedly let their Souls run to Ruin for want of due Correction and mature Reproof! Parental Reproof is an Act of Fidelity due to Nature, and therefore the Omission of it is a horrid Crime indeed. 'Tis a hard Case that those who have not Judgement enough to make clear Distinctions between Good and Evil, should be nursed up for Hell, only for want of such a cheap Alms as Reproof, and that too from those who brought them into the World. How many Children may at the last accuse their Parents of having coupled together merely to gratify natural Instinct? Sure such Parents don't consider that these corrupt Offsprings of theirs are obnoxious to Eternal Damnation, unless good Counsels dye their Minds betimes with good Tempers. After one overgrown Vice has beggared, another disgraced, a third diseased their Children, and all together have Racked and Tortured their Minds with restless Passions and ineffable, but fruitless Agonies; than you may hear them cry, That they're hearty sorry that they were so neglectful: But alas! than 'tis too late, than their own and their forlorn Posterity Curses are the just and dire Rewards of their barbarous Fondness.  
Helleborum frustra cum jam cutis aegra tumescit  
Poscentes videas; veniente occurriti morbo.  Persius. 
The best Prescripts, Preparations and Antidotes are of no use when the Poison has impostumed the whole Man: If you would countermine its Rage to any purpose, withstand its first Onsets. Dangerous Diseases must be strangled in Infancy; for when those venomous Seeds which seem small and contemptible at first, have been long let alone, till they are grown and multiplied, they become too sturdy and masterless to be subdued. Every Fault in Youth is a Pestilence in Embryo; and every Repetition of the same Fault is a Step to a vicious Habit, and every vicious Habit is the Addition of a Round to an Eternal State of Hostility with God.  
Nemo repent fuit turpissimus.  Juu. 
There was never such a thing as an upstart Devil. A Creature is an effect appropriate to Omnipotence, and therefore though there's no need of Omnipotence to uncreature a Creature, yet not Being can uncreature himself in a Moment; and since a high degree of Wickedness ripens a Soul for Hell, where they become the Devil's Vassals for ever, and consequently cease to be God's Creatures, with those Devils who tyrannize over them, a presumptuous State of Wickedness can't possibly be a sudden Attainment. Wise Parents therefore will rather take care to stifle Sin in its Birth than despise the lest Beginnings of Vice, since a budding Vice may be cropped with Ease by the Hand, which when 'tis become inveterate will require the Aid of Spade and Mattock, and the Cost of a great deal of Sweat before it be rooted up.  
TUTORS are the Vice parents of their Pupils, and therefore by reproving them they not only consult the Honour of their own Instructions and Methods of Education, but also approve themselves faithful both in the Sight of God and Men, to their natural Parents, who trust their Children in their Hands; which is the chief Circumstance that specifies a Tutor's Reproof.  
PATRONS reprove their Dependants chief, for the sake of their own Beneficence. By so doing they act the faithful Bursers of God: They manifest that they don't give partially, prodigally and at Random, or purely in Obedience to a pliable Temper, without being the least solicitous for benefitting their Country by their Bounty. They thereby show that 'tis their Endeavour and Ambition to bestow a polite Education on such whose rich Advances in Knowledge and Virtue promise' brave Servants to the Church and State.  
MASTERS hold a Right of Reproving their Servants by their Servant's voluntary Submission of themselves to their Dictates and Command's. 'Twas their own and their Parent's Contract, That they should live in Obedience. 'Tis from their Masters that they learn to get a handsome Subsistence in the World, by Skill and Industry in some honest Calling; and therefore 'tis great Folly and Ingratitude in them to be stubborn and surly when they are reproved. The Christian Doctrine assures us, That Servants should be subject, not only to the good and gentle, but even to froward Masters, and construes it no Glory (so easy and fitting is it) to be patiented when they are chastised for their Faults. But if Stripes and Buffet are patiently to be born with, much more aught Medicinal Reproofs be contentedly received, since their Masters are obliged in Point of Fidelity, Duty, Care and Love to reprove them.  
All the forementioned sorts of Reproof are special relative Duties, and of a very solemn Nature; and so far Friendly Reproof agrees with them. But there remains one sort of Reproof more, of which we must say something before we can conveniently speak of the Reproof of a Friend, which differs from all the rest, and that is Casual Reproof.  
Reproof may be called Casual when the Reprover neither reproves as a Magistrate, nor as a Minister, nor as a Husband, nor as a Parent, nor as a Tutor, nor as a Patron, nor as a Master: In short, upon no other Obligation or Relation than those general ones of the Man, the Fellow-Creature, and the Christian. 'Tis called Casual, because 'tis given by Chance, without Forethought, nay sometimes without knowing what the Person is whom we reprove: There is no Plot laid beforehand, no Season pitched upon, no Opportunity watched for; but the Offender is reproved without Stratagem and Preface upon the Spot. The Subjects of this Reproof are (to use S. Paul's Phrase) works of Darkness; that is to say, Words and Actions which are not sit or tolerable to be spoke in Company, or to be done in the Sight of the Sun; such as are too offensive to be born with by the Light, unless among the Scum or brutisher Part of Mankind. Of this Nature are all Filthy and Unclean Hints, Lascivious Motions, rash Oaths, hellish Blasphemies and Execrations, profane Derision of the Sacred Scriptures, consecrated Places, dedicated Men or sanctified Days. There is but little Hope of such People being reformed by such Reproof, and therefore they are not reproved so much for their own sakes as for the Company's good and Admonition: A Man must express his Abhorrence of Atheism and Licentious Talk, as he is but a sociable Creature; for there can be no continuance of sound Society, unless such exorbitant Tenets and Practices are openly and unexceptionably discouraged and exploded in all Company. These are the horrid Sins in which the Apostle so far disallows of our Partaking with the Committers of them, that he commands us to reprove the Haughty and Scornful Abettors of them, who shake Hands with Wisdom to pass for Wits; and indeed, not to reprove them, is in some degrees to be Partakers of their Sins. Silence, without doubt, is Connivance in such a Case, and therefore a perilous Omission of one of the main positive Duties of the Tongue. What Love can that Man have for exemplary Virtue, who does not found himself provoked by such notorious Vice, and freely vent his Abhorrence of detestable, barefaced and impudent Wickedness, when God and Religion are made Themes of Jest and scurrilous Raillery? 'Tis true, there is a furious and overhasty Zeal, which is devoid of Prudence, and therefore not commendable; but 'tis also certainly true that there is a public and generous Zeal, that is consistent with Civility, Prudence and good Manners. Lukewarm People may talk as they please, and harangue very much in Commendation of Prudence, whilst, in the mean while they donn't so much as understand wherein true Prudence consists.  
PRUDENCE is the wary and practical Application of that Degree of Wisdom, which we have in the industrious Promotion of those Designs which we are most ambitious to see accomplished. The Difference between Wisdom and Prudence is this. Wisdom is Knowledge, as it is treasured up and lies unactive in the Intellect. Prudence is the eliciting it into Action, the seasonable Use of it upon an Emergency. And indeed this practical Faculty of Circumspection is used to different Purposes, according to our different Degrees of Faith. Those whose Belief and Assent flows solely from their Eyes, that is to say, who are purely sensual, employ it to dishonest Ends, to gratify their Inclinations, to enjoy those things which seem beautiful and lovely to the Senses, such as Covetousness, Ambition and Vainglory, because the praise of Men pleases our Ears, and a Heap of Richeses is pleasant to the Eye. Now their dextrous Use of this comparative Faculty to such Ends is, properly speaking, nothing but Carnal, Unlawful Prudence, or, to express it in one Word, Craft, which proceeds from a culpable Self-love, a partial Love of themselves, considered abstractly from the Human Community, merely as they are sensitive Creatures, and allied to Brutes. Such Men act with a sole regard to that gross Body which they will wear only in this perishing State; and therefore will do nothing which tends at▪ present to the diminishing their Wealth or the Shipwreck of their Reputation with the Crowd (which, if we would please in an Age when most are lewd, we must omit many Duties, the Observance of which would promote the Honour of God, and the Spiritual Grandeur of our own Minds) though indeed they will many times scorn the good Opinion of their Fellow-Creatures, if they can't enjoy it, and some vile Gratification at the same Time: And without Doubt their Sentence must be dreadful at the last Day, who think that Credit is too costly a Victim to be devoted to God, which they can very readily sacrifice to their own Lusts. But those whose Faith is more extensive, and is freed from the Fetters of Sense, who have a commanding Sense of the Divine Excellencies, whose Understandings and Expectations are made more spacious by the Prospect of a future State, who really believe that God is Spirit, and that the Similitude of God is stamped on that part of their being, which is so bright and fine that it escapes the Sight of our bodily Eyes. Those, those, I say, subject the Estimation of their Body to that of their Soul, and, in short, make their Temporal seeming Interest give way for the Advancement of Religion, and the continuance of the Honour and Complacence of God with them, in which their real and eternal Interest is wrapped up. In them the Use of their natural Faculty of comparing Circumstances is, in the Dialect of God and Nature called Prudence. Immoderate Lovers of Self abuse this Faculty: They who love themselves subordinately to the Love of God, that is to say, love themselves not as sole, separate, independent Being's, but as being related to God and his Creation, use it wisely and religiously. We are in the first Place to take care that our Love of God be the supreme Love, that we may ply all our Faculties to his Glory, like truly affectionate Creatures; and since Reproof may promote his Glory, we are to reprove. Now the knowing and being fully satisfied that the Promotion of his Glory aught to be our first Aim and chief Endeavour, is Wisdom. Moreover, since he is a God to Order and Season in his Works, and has invested Humanity with a proper Faculty to distinguish Circumstances and Seasons, that our wise Ends and Endeavours may prove successful, 'tis incumbent upon us not only to reprove, but to take Care to reprove at fit Times and in a fit manner, which is the Exertion of Prudence. And whenever we reprove without due regard to Season, though our Reproof may prove as clear from carnal Prudence, and shows that we have more regard for the Universal Reputation of Religion than our own private Esteem among others; yet we may very properly than be said to be imprudent, and thus a Man may be wise without Prudence. On the contrary, those who don't reprove when they might have done it, without any Breach of what Reason calls Civility, being carnally prudent, may very well be said to be prudent without Wisdom. But the truly circumspect Christian is both wise and prudent: He will neither let the Offender escape his Reproof, nor reprove an Offender in the height of Passion, or when his Faculties are supplanted by Intemperance, not because Reproof will displease them than (for the Wicked are displeased with it when they are sober) but because if he consult the Nature of things he can't but know that in such a case no good purpose can be answered by the hazarding his Reputation, and that unseasonable and misapplyed Reproofs (especially if they are of a casual nature) do more Mischief to the Credit of the Duty itself than could have been satisfied for by all the Good which it might have done, though it had been well managed, and crowned with desirable Success. But now I am speaking of Season, I must inform you, That your Rules of Seasonableness must be fetched from the Dictates of Nature, not from the unconstant depraved Humours of some Men, for he that thus observes the Wind shall not sow. We are not to reprove only where we foresee it will probably found a welcome access, or omit this Duty upon the prospect of probably being reproached for it: But our Care aught to be this, never to reprove where or when some Circumstances considered, our Reproof, by being a greater Breach of Decency than it can possibly be an Act of Duty, will be not merely in the Opinions of ill Men, but by the Laws of Nature Reproach-worthy. A rash Reproof represents a Man inconsistent with himself, because it represents him an extraordinary forward Zealot, before he has learned to show himself a Man by Consideration, which is to invert the Order of God and Nature: For Consideration is one of the first Virtues, in order, and his Zeal can't be well founded, who is destitute of it; so that the Rashness demonstrates that Zeal to he ill grounded, which the Reproof seems to express. To which give me Leave to add, That the Observance of Caution and Season in giving Reproof will free us from being charged with Vainglory and Arrogance by any candid or sedate Christian for our Reproof. In short, We must first be sure to have excellent Aims, and than study to serve them by proper means. But though we are not to reprove every Person whom we know to be a scandalous Sinner, or one who is superior to us in Age, quality or Function, yet we may reprove any one to whom we are equal enough to be their Companion, if they do any thing that is scandalous while we are in their Company. The Canons of common Civility will Authorise us to reprove them: We may, without committing any Solecism in Address, beg their Silence, and freely vent our Displeasure. For if we are equal enough to be Companions, we are in mutual Society sociable upon equal Terms, and on the same Conditions: And therefore every Companion may speak his Mind in his Turn, and take notice of what offends him, without ministering any just occasion of Offence, how ill soever Men, that have no Sense of the excellent Nature of Charity to their Souls, may be apt to take it. Why may not good Men consult their lawful Ease and Liberty as well as the Licentious? We may easily levelly the Matter, by but putting the Case plainly. Should a well-meaning Christian be so imprudently zealous (when he has by Chance or Necessity fell into some Company who have little or no Love for Goodness, or perhaps are bitter and sacramental Enemies to it) as to offer at a Discourse about Angels, the future Judgement, the Benefit of Contemplation and heavenly Things, Selfreflection, or some extraordinary Favours with which the Holy Ghost has obliged his Soul, or any sublime and practical Topics which such vitiated Palates can't relish without Disgust, and aught only to be introduced in select Conversation and extraordinary Times, when our Minds are best seasoned, would they not presently begin to hiss, and bid him leave of Canting, and tell him that was not a Place to preach in! I donn't question they'd presently inform him, without thinking it any Invasion upon Decency, that he did but expose himself to them by so doing. Why than may not a fervent Christian, when his Sacred Ears are assaulted with Curses, Blasphemy and Obscenity, modestly beg the Favour not to be detained and disturbed with their Sins and Follies, and tell them he takes such Demeanour as an Affront, and for that Reason desire them to compound to talk about something that is useful, which is neither sinful in its own Nature, nor has an immediate Tendency to heavenly things, lies between two Extremes, and will prosit both without offending either? When the Profane are very unseasonably Wicked, a good Christian's exemplary Life constitutes him their Superior, and the Minister's Deputy upon the Account of his Innocence, and for that Reason authorises him to reprove them, without waiting for a privater Season. Uncommon Impudence makes an uncommon and public Reproof a just Correction of the reproved, and a seasonable Act in the Companion who reproves, though he▪ s not farther related to him than as he partakes of Human Nature, has been baptised, and is but a casual Companion at the instant of the Reproof: And therefore, to omit Reproof at such a Time is to neglect a decent Opportunity of expressing our Zeal for God's Honour, and therefore is as blameable as to have no regard for Season at all. In short, we must remember that Prudence has its Boundaries as well as Zeal, and it requires as much Spiritual Judgement to assign the proper Limits of the one as of the other: 'Tis as necessary to have Zeal enough to say to the Soul, Hitherto thou shalt go, as it is to have Prudence to add, not farther. Where there is no Zeal for God, our Prudence can't be Spiritual and Christian. Luxuriant, or, to speak more properly, an unseasonable Exertion of Zeal makes a Man prodigal of Indiscreet Reproofs, and carnal Caution makes him too stingy, and therefore Prudence without Zeal is as certainly sinful as Zeal that is not reined by Prudence, is but a false Image of Divine Love, and which rather aught to be reputed a Zeal that is melted by some excessive Heat of an inconsiderate Brain, than the genuine emanation of Christian Charity. Is not therefore the Epidemical Omission of this Duty, my Christian Countrymen, a great Fault in you? Casual Reproof may silence if not reform; make Wretches lesle contagious to others, though not lesle wise and religious themselves. I dare be positive, that wicked Men, how brazen soever the ill Complexions of their Minds may be, would not have such callous Countenances, if the Virtuous did but assume their rightful Boldness. Vice would not sneak and lower its Head by Degrees, just as it got Ground through the Neglect of this Duty. But you may tell me, That the Custom of casual Reproof is antiquated and quite out of date now, and therefore to, bring it up would look ridiculous, and expose those who should attempt it. But give me leave to acquaint thee, Christian, that though the Heavens themselves will be shrivelled like Parchment before the Fire, yet Reason, and that God, who is the Author of Reason, and has made this a Duty, will never grow old: Not, as he always was and still is, so he will be always omnipotent and immutable; for which Reason they that trample upon his Laws cannot escape his Wrath, unless they repent, whilst Repentance and Reproof will be accepted, and will contribute to the eternal Felicity of Human Creatures. If the Herd are so brutish as to despise, through Ignorance or Wickedness such an excellent Duty, the wise and sincere Professors of the Religion of the Blessed Jesus have the more Reason to exercise casual Reproof, since there is such a great and lamentable Necessity for it. You, I speak to, the brave and generous Disciples of my once Crucified, but now Glorified Lord, are hereby called to sacrifice your Temporal Credit for Christ, and that Virtue of which he was both the Principal Pattern and Patron, and will you shamefully desert'em in a Time of Extremity? Do you really believe, that he, who, many hundred Years ago, said these Words, Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and say all manner of evil against you, falsely, for my name's sake: Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven, knew what a weighty Truth he spoke? Cowardice and Inconsideration may, but a Heart's Affection for Religion will never away with the Neglect of Casual Reproof. Where is your Faith and Christian Magnanimity, who are so basely ashamed of Christ's Cause? One that can't patienly bear with the Frowardness of Ignorant and Malicious Men, may assure himself without the Gift of Prophecy, that he is not armed with a Spirit of Martyrdom against those Storms and Tempests which may one Day sift his Faith. If you deny and are ashamed of Christ before Men, he will disown and be ashamed of you also before his Father, Angels and Men at the last. Measures of Decency are not as in Matters of common Actions which relate to this Life, to be taken in matters of Duty and Religion, firm t●e Notions and Customs of the most, because it may be safely said, That the most have always been the worst. Singular Examples are not fit to be constant and universal Rules, much lesle the Lives of the Common If you think that we must act with the most always, for the sake of Peaceableness, why don't you lie and equivocate, carry yourselves irreverently in God's House, trifle with the tremendous Name, turn your Backs upon the Altar of Divine Love, and such like, since the most do so? Reprove therefore the Works of Darkness. When one stands up in the behalf of Virtue the rest will in all likelihood back and second him; but if the Company should be mute, nay hiss and revile you, they'll cancel their Scoffs when the Pitcher is broken at the Fountain, and the Wheel at the Cistern, when the Evil Days come and the Years draw nigh; and they shall say, We have no Pleasure in them. Farther, This is the surest way to be rid of their troublesome Company: 'Twill be Matter of Comfort too, to reflect that a Duty has been discharged, a Duty too, which is in a great measure expensive of our Reputation, the dearest to good Men of all Temporal Goods, in an Age wherein Virtue is made matter of satire. However, 'tis neither Sin nor Folly, Dissociableness nor Incivility to offend those who will construe the greatest Kindnesses Offences, and whom we can't please without committing Sin, without the Loss of God's Favour, deserting Virtue's good Name when 'tis assassined, and without the Decay of our own Soul's Health. Do your Duty therefore cheerfully and doubt not, notwithstanding the Wicked may now call your Life Madness, that Wisdom will be justified of her Children.  
This may suffice to suggest the use of this sort of Reproof, and of all the rest. I could willingly speak more largely of the latter, but Friendly Reproof is what I undertook to handle particularly now, and the true Reason why I have insisted upon the other was to remove Man's gross Errors about it. I think myself very happy that they have let me arrive, though with so much Trouble and Difficulty, to the Harbour of my Wishes, and the most delicious Entertainment of my Thoughts. Now we may enjoy ourselves without the lest Alloy of Controversy, and of any but affected Misconstruction. Now Friendly Reproof, a golden and lovely Subject, indeed; that great, but despised Benefactor of Religion, is ready to receive our eager Embraces.  
Now Friendly Reproof is the Reproof given by a Friend to a Friend. The particular End of this Reproof is the Perfection of the Soul of that individual who is reproved. One peculiar Property of it is its being always given privately. It may hap indeed that a Friend may need to be reproved in Public; but than he is reproved, in such a case, upon the account of some more extensive Relation than that of a Friend. And as none but a Friend is the Object of Friendly Reproof, and none but a Friend can properly give it, so the Subjects of it are not only gross Faults, but even Specks and lesle discernible Failures: For the Considerate would have their Friends not only abstain from heinous Sins, but from all Appearances and Beginnings of Evil. 'Tis their flaming Ambition that their Friends may not only not be legible Pictures of the great Enemy of Souls, but that they may every Day lay aside every Encumbrance, and grow nearer and nearer to the Nature of good Angels. This sort of Reproof is given with an extraordinary Affection, a peculiar Force and Stream of Benevolence. 'Tis an Act of Fidelity in him that reproves to his own Trust, Pretences and Contract; an Act of Love and Gratitude to the Manhood of the reproved considered as his peculiar Fellow-Helper and Wellwisher.  
Hitherto we have been taken up with the distinguishing the particular Kind's of Reproof, the neglect of which has been one main Fountain of erroneous Judgements about the Nature of Friendly Reproof; for how many shall you hear excusing themselves for not reproving their Friends, because they are neither Magistrates nor Ministers whose Duty it is to reprove? whereas had these People but observed this Distinction, they would have known that it was one thing to reprove as a Magistrate, or a Minister, and another to reprove as a Friend.  
I shall conclude this Chapter with two Observations.  
The first of which is, That sometimes several of these sorts of Reproof may be coincident in the same Person: Thus, to give one very plain Instance, a Bishop may reprove a Sin before a whole Congregation, in the hearing of a particular Friend of his, to which this Friend is very much addicted: Here he reproves him in general, and indeterminately, as a Minister. After Sermon he, in the next Place, knowing this Friend to be guilty of the Sin, goes and reproves him for it privately and particularly as a Friend. But if, notwithstanding his repeated Rebukes, and the application of other prudent Methods, to recover him, his Friend repeats and repeats this Sin, so long till by degrees it betrays him into more heinous Commissions, and he by that means prove a scandalous Example, the Bishop is obliged to excommunicate this dear Friend, as he would conscientiously discharge the Duty of a Spiritual or Ecclesiastical Magistrate. But though they may be coincident in Cases of this Nature, yet for the most part they are not so, and Error being harder to be detected than Truth is to be discovered, 'twas necessary in an Engagement with prejudiced People that our Entrance into this Subject might be made the smother to speak of every one of them apart, and to mark down the particular Characteristics of all of them distinctly.  
But, secondly, to conclude this Chapter, since there are different Uses of different kinds of Reproof, 'tis evident that the Reformation and Improvement of the reproved Person (though 'tis always to be charitably wished and hoped for) is not the sole End of all Reproof. Whence it follows, That though a Man could be safely confident (which can't be without a Presumption, and a Violation of Charity, which, as SAINT Paul acquaints us, hopes all things) that an Offender, whom he has a Right to reprove upon some of the precedent Accounts, will be never the better for his Reproof, yet this can be no safe Pretext for his omission of it, in not making a patiented Experiment upon such an Offender, since his Reproof may, supposing the worst, be often instrumental to the promotion of Virtue in other Respects, as has been shown in the Case of casual Reproof, the Temporal Magistrate's Condemnation, and the Spiritual Magistrate's Excommunication, which is the principal End of all Reproof whatsoever, taken at large.    

CHAP. III Showing Friendly Reproof both a Natural and Revealed Duty.  

SECT. I Entrance into the Chapter.  
CARE has been taken to disburden Man's Minds of all dark and confused Notions of Friendly Reproof; so that I hope now I may proceed cheerfully and in good Order to prove it of such a Nature as to oblige the Conscience to the diligent Exercise of it. Which I have the rather chose to do, because I think myself bound by a Principle of Charity to impute the Neglect of this Duty in the better sorts of the Professors of Christianity, to their not being throughly convinced that Friendly Reproof is a Duty and Obligatory of the Conscience.  
Now there are only two ways whereby we can know whether or not any Action is a Duty, and these are Reason and Revelation.  
Wherhfore I shall show,  

I That the Light of Nature discovers Friendly Reproof to be a Human Duty. And,  
II That the Inspired Write testify Friendly Reproof to be a Christian Duty.    

SECT II Friendly Reproof proved a Natural or Human Duty.  
I Am first to prove from Reason, or the Primitive Light of Nature, that Friendly Reproof is a Duty.  
Now if it can be demonstrated, That,  
1. Friendship is a Natural Relation, that is to say, A Relation which Man by Nature stands in need of. And, 2. That no Man can discharge the Duty of a Man in the Relation of Friendship, without reproving his Friend sometimes; than questionless Friendly Reproof is a Natural and Human Duty. Now the Truth of both these Propositions I dare undertake to prove.  
And first, I prove that Friendship is a Natural Relation. Our unavoidable Dependence on one another in this State, so full of Dangers and pregnant of Necessities, which are too many and too tough to be conquered and forestalled by the wisest, strongest and most industrious Man's solitary Powers, continually minds us that we are sociable Creatures by Nature. This common Principle of Sociableness is the universal Cement of all Mankind: Deserts are too inhospitable to Man to be measured out for his Abode. But though all Men are sociable Creatures by Nature, yet it is impossible for any Man to assist and associate with all Men any other wise than as they form one Human Polity, one Rational Orb. All Men can't be helpful to all Men personally, though in relieving any Man they should be intentionally, and are, ipso facto, centrally assistant to all Men. Our Benevolence may extend to all, though our Beneficence cannot. Nevertheless, every Man has a Power to be actually Helpful to a small Number of his Fellow Creatures, more or lesle, this way or that way, and some most, I might have said all ways, according to the Stature and Capacity of their different Faculties, and the different Vigour and Tendency of their several Genius's. Thus, by the communicative Powers of individuals in different Employments all necessary Services are upheld, and all carry on the same End, their own comfortable Subsistence and the support of the whole Human Corporation: By the happy Concurrencies of every distinct few in the Aiding of a few, all Men become in the End the Auxiliaries of all Men, considered as they are clad with the same Nature and Members of the whole Human Universe. Hence it was that the World was not sooner stocked with Inhabitants, but Men very willingly, from the beginning of the World even to this Day, agreed to channel themselves into Empires, Kingdoms, Shires, Cities, Towns, Neighbourhoods and innumerable other lesle Societies and Branches of Polity. 'Tis also this Necessity which is the Foundation of personal Relations. Civil Magistrates are necessary to preserve distinct Bodies and Governments from Disorder and Ruin. Marriages are necessary to erect a new Posterity in every Age, and for the more careful Education of Children. The Relation of Masters and Servants is necessary too for the Continuance and Improvement of all useful Arts and Sciences, which are Instruments of Subsistence, Ornament and Convenience, to both our Minds and Bodies.  
I But since none of these Relations and Distinctions of Magistrate and Plebeian, Husband and Wife, Parent, and Child, Master and Servant allow special equality enough in their Correlates to admit of that Intimacy which every Man's want of Consultation in Doubts, and those numerous Straitss and Dangers which Men of all Vocations and in all Circumstances are exposed to, together with every Man's natural eagerness to empty his Bosom of his secret Joys and Grievances require, Nature is bound, upon Peril of being reproached, together with that God who is the Author of Nature, for haying made Man his own Burden, and the supreme Species of all sublunary Creatures, utterly uncapable of moderate Comfort, to procure him another Correlate. 'Tis true, a Man and his Wife are so near that they may, in one Sense be said to be one: They have the same Family and Main Chance to take Care of, but they drive on this same End different ways. Women are not fit to give counsel, nor, generally speaking, able to lend a helping Hand in Masculine Affairs; and yet the Woman's Part may be played well enough. Besides, a Wife is seldom so discreet as she should be, and very few Men will trust their Wives with the Key of their Bosom, because they know that 'tis not convenient for every one to see what is laid up in that Closet. Nay, should a Wife be an extraordinary Woman and a great Blessing (which few now-a-days are) so as to serve not only for a Wife, but for a Friend, yet she is but one; and he that has her would do well to prise her; and if she be Loving and Peaceable, and keep a strict Eye over her Family, supposing she be far from being such an extraordinary Wife, she is nevertheless to be cherished and beloved, since she is, notwithstanding, a good Wife, because Strength of Thought, a severe Discipline of Tongue, and strong Hands are not common to the Female Sex. But to return, be she ever so extraordinary, as I have before said, she is but one, and one assistant cannot be relied on: One Person's Counsel will not suffice to furnish a Man with Prudence, and to mould his Mind into a just equanimity in all Emergencies. Man's Affairs are not established either by one or by a multitude of, but by two or three, private Counsellors. Whosoever therefore are not so unusually Happy as to have wise Brethrens by Blood, that are born for Adversity, must adopt the sincerest and prudentest Equals they can get acquainted with for their Brethrens; those Brethrens, I mean, who are commonly called Friends; who will join Heads, and Hearts, and Hands, not only in Prosperity, but when Storms and Tempests do induce Melancholy and Terror, and Fearfulness, and Trembling, get fast hold of our Spirits, who (as my Lord Verulam has excellently well observed) redouble our Joys and split our Griefs in two, who (than which I can't add a greater Encomium) as Solomon acquaints, do stick closer to one another than Brother to Brother. In short, Friendship is so necessary to make our Joys real and permanent, and to pillar up our Spirits in gloomy Days (which will certainly come in their turns) that Reverence to Nature obliges us to believe that Friendship is a Natural Relation.  
II The second Proposition to be proved, is this. No Man can discharge the Duty of a Man in the Relation of Friendship without his reproving his Friend sometimes.  
To tender this Truth apparent, 'tis requisite, and accordingly I desire you to consider these three things.  

1. That Reproof is a great Act of Kindness.  
2. That 'tis an Act of Kindness, which every Man stands more or lesle in need of.  
3. 'Tis an Act of Kindness, that every Man is capable of doing for his Friend.   
1. First, I say, We should consider, That Reproof is a great Act of Kindness.  
Natural Light informs us very clearly, and common Experience witnesses that there are Actions and Habits, which gall Man's Mind, cheapen his Name, waste his Estate, impair his Health, straiten his Faculties, and make him lavish of that Time which was given him to improve his being in: And farther, Natural Light does as clearly satisfy us that such Actions and Habits are Hurtful and Evil to Man: Neither God nor Nature can approve of, nay not condemn what disquiets us and serves no good End: Of this kind are all Extremes, as immoderate Sleep, Eating, Drinking, Sociableness, Solitude, Talking, Admiration, Grief, Joy, Anger, and the like. Agreeably the Heathens themselves seated all Virtue in general and Mediocricy: Medio tutissimus ibis is a Proverb in every School-Boy's Mouth: So far they were very well acquainted with the Nature of Human Virtue.  
But since we can found by the natural Tendency of these Actions and Habits, that they are so many ways hurtful to us, the Bane and Burden of our being, we must grant that the Removal and Prevention of such Habits and Actions is a great Act of Human Kindness. For certainly nothing is a great Act of Kindness if that is not such which contributes in a great Measure to the Health of our Bodies, the Peace of our Consciences, the Preservation of our Credit, the regular Steerage of our Faculties, and finally the wise Dispensation of all our Time, to the Advancement always, more or lesle of our entire Man.  
Now Private and Friendly Reproof does contribute very much to the Removal of such Habits and Actions. The removal of them is the only Aim of Friendly Reproof; and truly 'tis a means as fair as any for Success in such an Attempt. For Reproof is always given with some Signs of uneasiness, and every Man highly valuing one whom he takes to be his sincere Friend, reveres his Displeasure. The Expression of Anger in his Friend makes the reproved Person conclude with himself, That that Fault which causes such Anger in his cordial wellwisher can be no such inconsiderable Evil as an inconsiderate Sinner, is apt to think it; which Conclusion excites Remorse for it: And pungent Reflections created a Horror of it for the future, and that Horror makes him seal the Will with firm Resolutions against it, which is the most likely way to guard the Soul against all the Attempts of the Devil. By this Method, if his Fault was a single Act of any particular Sin, the Seeds of an ill Habit are choked; but if the Sin for which he was reproved was habitual, this Reproof will animate him to labour with all his Might by Severities upon himself and Consultation with others, and, above all, by frequent and earnest Addresses to the Throne of Grace, to demolish the strong Holds of the Devil. What is there so difficult that a Man will not assay, in order to keep up the Love and favourable Opinion of his Friend, who by daily Endearments and Obligations does manifest his Kindness to be real and hearty? and sure Sins, if they are viewed when the Mind is in its Meridian, will not appear to the sedater Thoughts so lovely that a Friend should rather be parted with than them. If a Friend has little Love for his Soul, from a brutish Ignorance of its Worth, yet a Friend's Displeasure may force him to shake Hands with a Vice and his Darling Vice too, perhaps.  
2. But secondly, As, a Friend's Reproof is a great Act of Kindness, so 'tis an Act of Kindness which every one, more or lesle, stands in need of.  
A Good and Circumspect Man May live above the Magistrate's Reproof, nay out of the Reach of the envenomed Arrows of hellish Tongues, and above the Comments of the Envious and Pragmatical, and yet be girt about with many dangerous Infirmities, which his Friend, who is often with him, can easily spy out. There is not that wariest Man alive who offends not: The righteous, it seems, offends seven times a day, that is to say, frequently, but than this must be explained rather of invisible than visible Faults. Nevertheless the best Men have their visible Faults, even those that are Lights to the World have their Spots and Littlenesses, which those who are often near and intent upon them, may easily discern and count up without a Pick fault Inclination. They are Lectures of Humility to great Examples. Where is the Man that is perfectly Innocent and Virtuous, to omit the Refinements of the Gospel, in Nature's and a second Man's Eyes? But though the best Men confine upon, nay slip into some of those Extremes which are the Pests of Humanity, yet it was not convenient that all the Miseries and Deformities of good Souls in this State, should be uncurtained to the Crowd, because than the Reputation of the brightest Example of Virtue would suffer a very dismal Cloud, and so miss of that Efficacy it has upon ordinary Spectators. But though if those lesser Faults were visible to all that transiently behold them, the Lustre of their Credits would be eclipsed in the Eyes of the World, yet God and Friends can have Generosity enough to Pity, Heal and Pardon those retired Infirmities, without being alienated from the Patient. And indeed since we cannot say he is happiest who offends not at all, because this is absurdly to suppose what never will be, since no Man ever was, is, or will be so happy in this State, as not to offend at all; we must be content to say, He is the happiest Man who offends lest. This is an Ambition which every Man should suffer to bear the Sceptre in his own Breast. Now that this sort of Ambition in our Friends may be answered, we should acquaint them with those Faults which are visible to us: For indeed many of good Man's smallest Faults are not so discernible to themselves as to their Friends; so that unless those who are oftenest with, and profess Kindness for them, tell them of their Faults, which they note in them, they will in all probability escape their Cognizance, and consequently their Vigilance, whereby they are deprived of being so many degrees nearer to perfection. But I am sure if the best Men stand in need of Friendly Reproof, others, but especially those who deserve Casual and severer Reproofs, stand much more in need of Friendly Reproof. The natural Corollary of which is, that all Men considered in their present Capacity of bu● Candidates, not Masters of rational Perfection, are the Objects of the Relief of Friendly Reproof.  
3. But thirdly, Friendly Reproof is an Act of Kindness which every Man is capable of doing for his Friend.  
We have all, even the Ignorantest of us, a natural Capacity to perceive the Eternal Unreasonableness and intrinsically evil Nature of some Actions and Habits. Happy, happy should we all be, if we did but constantly avoid the Commission of all those Sins, which because of their Ugliness and Deformity▪ we can't avoid knowing to be Sins. And as the Sense of the chief Subjects of Reprehension is wrought in our Understandings: by Nature, so we have also a natural Aptness and Sagacity to see these Extremes sooner and better in others than in ourselves. There is a due Distance of the Object, and a due hatred of the Sin which we see: Self-love and Partiality don't blind and corrupt our Judgements Abroad as they do at Home. Jealousy for our Friend's Welfare, Hatred of Sin in him, and frequent Converse with him make us very quick sighted; and when a Fault does but show its Head, our Capacity of being angry is presently kindled; which Passion of Anger, we need not doubt was planted in us by Nature to serve some good End. Farther, That Volubility of Tongue which is every Man's Talon when the Thoughts of others are the Theme of our Discourse, broaches our Breasts all on a sudden, when they are stung with Grief for our Friend. Anger and Grief are very necessary Tools for the rough Work of Reproof, which to set about is so ungrateful to us (where observe, that I do not mean 'tis ungrateful to rail, which proceeds from ill Will, but Reproof implies a Benevolence for him whom we tell of his Faults, and therefore is an unpleasant Employment) so ungrateful, I say, that had it not been for these Springs, Nature must have been charged with our Neglect of Reproof. But all the forementioned Instincts of Nature are such fit Instruments of Reproof that the Blood of our Friend, if we neglect to reprove, must be required at our own Hands, and we need not doubt but they were given us chief to make us execute this Irksome Task of Friendly Reproof more cheerfully. What better use can we put them to? Doubtless the great Creator did not design them to make us Treacherous to one another, Quarrelsome about Straws, greedy to spill Human Blood, or prove to Defame and Backbite our Neighbours, but the more ready to discover our Wounds betimes, that they may be probed, and that we may close them for one another.  
In short, since Friendship is a natural Relation, all those relative Acts and Exercises which the entire Discharge of it necessarily requires at our Hands, are Natural and Relative Duties: And farther, since Friends are the constant Objects of mutual Reprehension, and are so richly capacitated to do one another such a very good turn, such a complicated Act of Kindness, they are ungrateful Traitors to one another, if they turn their other Policies and Courtesies into Snares and Briars, by neglecting this principal Office of judicious Friendship.  
Accordingly Isocrates, Seneca, Marcus Antoninus, Cicero, Aristides, and other Heathen Moralists, have given great Commendations of Reproof. Maximus Tyrius, in his first or second Discourse, I remember makes Reproof▪ the great Distinction of a Friend from a Parasite, and to recommend Reproof seems to me to be the main Drift of that excellent Sermon out of the Bible of Nature. But that the illiterate Reader may have a Taste of their Judgements in this matter, I'll pen down some very excellent Lines out of some of the most eminent Heathen Authors. And to begin with the Glory of the Romans, Cicero, in his Treatise of Friendship, has these remarkable Words; Quanto id magis in homine sit natura, qui & se ipse diligit & alterum inquirit, cujus animum ita cum suo misceat ut efficiat pene unum ex duobus? fed plerique perverse, ne dicam impudenter, amicum habere talem volunt quales ipsi esse non possunt; quaeque ipsi non tribuunt amicis, haec ab eis desiderant. Par est autem primum ipsum esse virum bonum, tum alterum similem sui quaerere. Equidem in talibus stabilitas amicitiae confirmari potest●● Cum homines benevolentia conjuncti primum cupiditatibus iis quibus coeteri serviunt, imperabunt; deinde aequitate justitiaque gaudebunt omniaque alter pro altero suscipiet. Neque quicquam unquam nisi honestum & rectum alter ab altero postulabit: neque solum colent inter se ac diligent, sed etiam verebuntur, nam maximum ornamentum amicitiae tollit, qui ex ea tollit verecundiam. Itaque in iis perniciosus est Error, qui existimant libidinum peccatorumque omnium patere in amicitia licentiam. Virtutum amicitia adjutrix a Natura data est, non vitiorum comes, ut quoniam solitaria non posset virtus ad ea quae summa sunt pervenire, conjuncta & consociata cum altera perveniret. Haec est, inquam, societas, in qua omnia insunt quae putant homines expetenda, honestas, gloria, tranquillitas animi, atque potestas. What a great Prerogative has Man by Nature over the rest of the Creatures, who both loves himself and seeks out a second with whose Soul he may so contemper his own as to turn two Souls into one? But indeed very many are so Perverse, I forbear to say Impudent, as to expect their Friends to be such as they themselves are not, and such Kindnesses from their Friends, which they are not solicitous to retaliate. But in my Judgement 'tis but fit and equal that every one should take care in the first Place to be good himself, and than to make another so. For good People only are capable of a deep and stable Friendship. When Men that are mutually united by Benevolence have once got the Command of those Lusts to which others are envassaled, than they'll take Delight in Equity and Justice, and exchange good Offices with one another. Neither will expect any Compliance from the other which disagrees with Uprightness and Honourable Principles; neither will they only love and serve, but also revere one another. I say revere, for take away mutual Reverence and Awe from Friends, and you'll rob Friendship of its greatest Ornament. Wherhfore they lie under a very dangerous Mistake, who think that Friendship is consistent with Toleration of Lusts and Vices. Not, not, Friendship was given by Nature to Aid, Promote and Strengthen our Virtues, not to procure us Confederates in Vice, to the intent that Social and United Virtue might reach that height of Perfection which solitary Virtue can't attain to. This, I say, is that Intimacy, Partnership, Society, Friendship or whatever other Name you'll give it, which includes in it Honesty, Glory, Peace of Mind, substantial Pleasure, and whatever considerate Men passionately desire to enjoy.  
Again he says, Monendi amici saepe sunt & objurgandi: Et haec accipienda amice cum benevole siunt. Sed nescio quomodo verum est, Obsequium amicos, Veritas odium parit. Molesta veritas, siquidem ex ea nascitur odium quod est venenum amicitiae. Sed obsequium multo molestius quod peccatis indulgens praecipitem amicum ferri sinit. Maxima autem culpa in eo est, qui & veritatem aspernatur, & in fraudem obsequio impellitur. Omniagitur hac in re habenda ratio & diligentia est primum, ut monitio acerbitate, deinde objurgatio contumelia careat: Assentatio vitiorum adjutrix procul amoveatur, qua non modo amico, sed ne libero quidem digna est, aliter enim cum Tyranno, aliter cum amico vivitur. Cujus autem aures veritati clausae sunt, ut ab amico verum audire nequit, hujus salus desperanda est. Scitum enim est illud Catonis, melius de quibusdam acerbos inimicos mereri, quam eos amicos qui dulces videantur: Illos verum saepe dicere, hos nunquam. Atque illud absurdum est quod two qui monentur eam molestiam quam debent capere, non capiunt: Eam capiunt qua debent vacare. Peccasse enim se non anguntur, objurgari moleste ferunt: quod contra oportebat delicto dolere, correctione gaudere. We should often admonish and reprove our Friends, and such Offices should be taken kindly from Friends, who deal thus with us, because they have a true Affection for us. But I know not how it comes about, but it is too true, that Truth is very offensive in this Case, 'Tis the Parent of a very troublesome Damp upon our Spirits: Which Readiness to take Reproof ill is that which poisons our Friendship. Deceitful Complaisance entertains us with a momentany Delight, whereas Reproof creates a sort of transient Hatred, but the former, how sweet soever it appears at first, proves an Engine of great Trouble at length, because through indulging a Friend in Sin, it lets him run on headlong in Ruinous Courses, without the lest Stop or Control. 'Tis the greatest Fault that a Friend can be guilty of, to slight venerable Truth, and by an unlawful Obsequiousness be thrust into the Snares of Deceit. Wherhfore in every Undertaking of this Nature we should diligently take Care that our Admonition be free from all Bitterness, and our Reproof be applied without any sign of Disesteem. None but Tyrants deserve Flattery: 'Tis a just Punishment of the Cruel and Haughty, but to flatter a Friend is the most unseemly Ingratitude; for a Friend need not be humoured and imposed on as a foolish Tyrant, with whom you cannot be free without endangering your Life. His Condition is very woeful and desperate who shuts his Ears against the Voice of Truth, and will not suffer his Friend to speak freely. Cato very wisely observed, That we are indebted to our very bitterest Enemies more than to those who seem to be the sweetest Friends, who hid our Maladies and Dangers whilst they tell us the Truth; and show us our weak Side plainly. And indeed nothing is more absurd than to see Men when they are reproved, perfectly mistake both the proper Object and the proper Cause of Trouble and Offence: For instead of their being pleased with their being reproved, and troubled for those Offences, which occasioned their Reproof, they take it ill that they are reproved, and are not at all vexed with themselves for having offended, that they'd tempt one to think they made it their business to thwart Nature's Commands. There's a great deal more to this purpose in his golden Essay about Friendship, which it would be too tedious to transcribe. You see here that this Author thought Reproof the Duty of a Friend, and gives some Directions about some regular Managements of Reproof, which we shall speak of hereafter, and I hope that that Circumstance in the present Citations of this Chapter, being but accidental, will not be condemned for a Breach of Order, since my own Thoughts will be laid down by themselves concerning it. But I have one thing more to observe, viz. That this Author, in the Place which I last cited, makes a clear Distinction between Monitio and Objurgatio; by which he hints, That the Words were originally designed to signify two different Acts, viz. the first admonishing against, and the second chiding for a Fault. But because when we reprove for a Fault we implicitly admonish against it for the future, he has used the Word Monere in the Sense of Reproof; but had he and those English Writers, who use Admonish so, foreseen the Mischief and Confusion which it has caused in weak Minds, they would, I doubt not, have, declined the freedom of using it equivocally.  
But to proceed, Antisthenes said long since what Cato observed, which Cicero just now mentioned before, as Plutarch informs us, in his Manual about getting good by our Enemies, and subjoins to the Relation a Complaint of the general Neglect of Friendly Reproof in his Time, which may be applied to our own Age: For thus he tells us, That Men spoke with too faint a Voice when they took the decent Liberty of Reproving a Friend, but were too nimble-tongued when they flattered; so that there was great need for every one to be attentive to what their Enemies said to them, That since they had no Friends to dress and cure their Wounds, they might, like Telephus, heal them with the Spear that made them. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, etc. And Aris●ides's excellent Oration about Friendship is full of such Observations about Reproof, and gives such excellent Directions about the Management of it, as the greater part of Christian's can't supply us with, which 'twill be fit to mention in another Place, Aristotle tells us, That there can be no profitable Friendship without Reproof, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, viij. ad Nicom. 13. The same Author, in the same Book, gives this as his Opinion, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Where there is true Friendship there is Equality and Likeness; and that Similitude of Temper is the most durable and lasting which is formed in Human Minds by Virtue. For the Virtuous only live a Life of Consistency, and are alike at all times, both with respect to themselves and one another. They stand in no need of naughty Machinations, nor unite their Strength to carry on base Purposes. On the contrary, if I may so speak, they act the Part of Magistrates to one another, to sense one another from the Commission of any sort of Villainy whatever: For 'tis natural to the Good neither to sin themselves, nor to suffer their Friends to commit or abet Sin: But the Wicked have no Firmness nor Constancy in their Friendship. They don't continued in the same Mind or like themselves. They are seemingly Friends for a Time, and for the sake of the sensual Pleasure which they feel during their Confederacy in Wickedness. To mention but one more, Jamblicus, somewhere in his Life of the famous Pythagoras, tells us of that Philosopher, that he left it as a Maxim to all his Followers, That the Renouncing any Friend or Friendship upon any other account but the Abuse of Reproof and incorrigibleness under it, is by no means to be approved of. What a great Opinion he had or Reproof, I leave Men of the meanest Capacity to guests from hence. What has been said, I think is sufficient to prove Friendly Reproof a Natural Duty. I shall therefore go forward, according to my promise to show that it is a revealed and a Christian Duty.   

SECT. III Proving Friendly Reproof a Revealed, and especially a Christian Duty.  
CHristians, if they'll consult the Sacred Scriptures, may be presently ascertained that Friendly Reproof is a revealed and Christian Duty. Revelation subscribes very liberally to this useful Proposal of Nature, and has made it an inviolable Sanction by Immediate Divine Authority.  
Revelation bestows great Eulogies on a Faithful Friend, and particularly on this Act of Friendship, and taxes those who either omit to give it, or abuse it, when given, with very odious Tempers of Mind: Thus Solomon: A man that has Friends must show himself friendly, and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother; And here I cannot forbear mentioning something of the Son of Sirach's, to this purpose, A faithful friend is a strong defence, and he that has found such an one has found a Treasure. Nothing does countervail a faithful friend, and his excellency is unvaluable, A faithful friend is the medicine of life, and they that fear the Lord shall found him. Whoso fears the Lord shall direct his friendship aright, for as he is, so shall his neighbour be also. And Solomon, He that covers a Transgression, that is to say, secretly reproves his Friend, procures love. A just man falls seven times a day (this shows every Man's want of Reproof) and rises up again by his own Endeavours and his Friend's kind Assistance. Rejoice not when thine enemy falls, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbles. Such Carriage to our Enemies must needs endear Reproof to good Friends, for the Reproof of so generous a Person can't be supposed to proceed from Delight in occasions of Reproof. Wherhfore Solomon, in dissuading us from such an Humour, exhorts us to Reproof, by recommending such an extraordinary fitness of Temper and Demeanour for the more fruitful and beneficial Exercise of Friendly Reproof. Again, Open [sincere, plain] for he does not mean Public) Rebuke is better than secret love, that is, than a concealed, stifled or uneasy Sorrow for a Friend's Miscarriages. Thus also, A scorner hears not rebuke. Whoso hates Reproof is brutish. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an Enemy are deceitful. He that rebukes a man shall afterwards found more favour than he that flatters with his tongue. Again, He that being often reproved hardens his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed. To cite all the other Proverbs, he has to this Purpose, is needless; since these sufficiently show what a great Kindness that Prince had for Friendly Reproof.  
Let the righteous smite me friendly, was the Psalmist's Request. And the Law expressly says, Levit. 19.17. Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: Thou shalt in any wise reprove him, and not suffer sin upon him.  
Christ and his Apostles are so far from vacating the Dictates of sound Reason, and the Command's of the Moral Law, that they design, and accordingly have quite filled up the Blanks of both. Love, as S. Paul tells us, is the fulfilling of the Law. Their Interpretations of the Tables of Moses have both dilated the significancy, and given a more explicit and perfect Account of the Contents of them. We have in their Write a full and fixed, a clear and established Rule of Life to walk by. The very positive Duties of our Religion, such as our Sacraments and other Ordinances, are not liable to the Alteration of any succeeding O Economy, for the Christian OH Economy is the last. We have a longer List of Moral Duties, so that the Objects of Reproof are more numerous and obvious to all Capacities in the Gospel-Age. Which Circumstance makes Christians more obnoxious to the want of Reprehension, and in a Capacity to know what are the proper Subjects of Reprehension, without tedious Disputes, which opportunity those wanted who lived in former Times, without the Horizon of the Gospel. Moreover, the surpassing Opportunities we enjoy of clearly making a Distinction between Error and Truth, Virtue and Vice, together with the Supremacy of the Dispensation which we live under (which accomodates us with the Use of the most and richest Conduits of Grace and Assistance from above to guard our Spirits from contracting conspicuous and heinous Gild, and to exalt them always nearer and nearer unto God) as also the Supremacy of the Lawgiver (who is not lesle a Person than the Son, the express Character of God, the Antitype of all the Patriarches and Prophets) aggravate all our visible Commissions and Omissions to a prodigious and towering height of Presumption. Farther, Those Agonies which wrung Corpuscles of Blood from Jesus, together with his effusion of his Life upon the Cross, to reconcile sinful Men to God, do exhibit the Turpitude of all Sin, in such a lively, piercing and astonishing manner, that the Folly, Horror and Sting of every degree of Sin is magnified exceedingly by its being committed since his Crucifixion.  
But since every Sin is more dangerous and dreadful, in the Issue, to a Christian, it must needs be confessed that 'tis a greater Piece of Beneficence to rescue a Christian from the Clutches of a sinful Habit and an impenitent Posture of Mind, after his Commission of any single Act of Sin, because by such Endeavour we strive to deliver him from a more terrible Conflagration of Conscience and Condemnation at the last. For the greater the Light of any Transgressor is, the greater his Gild is, and great Gild is a constant incendiary of Condemnation. And since Friendly Reproof spurs Offenders on to the Exercising that Justice and wholesome Revenge upon themselves in this State for past Offences, which works in them that Repentance (which will ward of the Eternal Condemnation of the Supreme Judge) namely dread and avoidance of Sin for the future, Reprehension is to a Christian an extraordinary Exertion of Love, a very generous and beneficial Exploit. And since Christians, if they consider, cannot but know this, the Omission of Reproof is more Criminal in them than in a Jew or a Heathen: Especially if they consider how highly all sorts of Beneficence are encouraged, and with what prevalent Motives and vigorous Exhortations they are recommended to the Welcome Reception of all our Powers, by our Sovereign Master Christ. Beneficence is the richest Hecatomb a Christian can devote to God. We do not now as in the state of Polytheism, serve many Gods, Usurpers, divided and appropriate tutelar Demons. Such sort of Divine Worship inclined the Thoughts of the Worshippers to patronise Cruelty, Injustice, and the sordid Enclosure of their Affections. But we serve one God, whose Creation of all Men and unconfined Sovereignty over, and Providence for all Men, manifests him to be the true God, and the universal Friend of all Men: This Notion of the Unity of God, and of his being the common Father of us all (since to copy God wherein he is copyable, by our several Capacities, is the highest Perfection any Creature can be copyable of) represents to us how excellent it is to have a Catholic Love for all Men: A serious Contemplation on him naturally instils this Catholic Love into us: We are the Disciples of the Jesus, not of a few haughty morose and stiff Jews, but the Jesus of all Nations and Ages. Unity, Loving and lawful Compliance, Solicitude for one another's Good, Universal Benevolence and Charity are the Characteristics of Christians: We are to wish well therefore to the Bodies, Souls and Spirits of all Men: Which does not, as some may be apt to think, in the lest exclude the lawfulness of cherishing a singular concern for the Members of the Family of Faith. Neither does it force us to overlook particular Love and Friendship. We may wish well to all, but we can be helpful but to a few: Our Faculties are enclosed though our Affections are not. And by being very active and immediate Benefactors to some, we declare that 'tis the Faintness of our Powers, not of our Affections, which keeps us from being serviceable to every Individual of the whole rational Globe: For whilst every Individual is particularly obliged and benefitted by some few Individuals, all the Individuals are preserved: And whilst all the Integral Parts are kept in just Place and Order, the whole Body, of which they are the Constituents, stands firm and does well. Whence we may learn that eminent Acts of Charity to some particular People are consistent with universal Benevolence, and do really and centrally (as has been before observed) satisfy the Aim of a Public and extensive Spirit: And therefore, that the Christian Religion's noble Intention to infuse into the Hearts of all its Professors a cordial Love and diffusive Good Will to all Men, does not disparage and condemn private Friendship, but rather obliges us the more ardently to love those who are not only our Lovers, because they are the Lovers of all Men, but are emphatically so: How can we conceive that that Institution which enjoins us to love our Enemies as Men should forbidden us to love our Friends peculiarly as Friends? 'Tis impossible for the same Religion to encourage the foulest Ingratitude, and the most signal Generosity.  
Now therefore since Christianity directs our Kindness in an extraordinary manner to some particular People, and requires us to do our Friends all the good that it lies in our Power to do for them, we may be sure that since Reproof is such a great Kindness, as has been proved (altho' we had had no positive or particular Command to reprove) it obliges us to reprove our Friends for their Faults. Sin and the terrible Consequences of it are plainly discovered to Christians, and therefore it must grieve Christians the more to see it in their Friends. That peculiar Gentleness, Judgement and other Graces which they are capable of obtaining by a wise and conscientious Improvement of the Means of Grace, fits them for the due Performance of Reproof. The Necessity and Usefulness of Reproof has been sufficiently demonstrated already, and may farther appear from the Scriptures, which represent Thrones and Principalities, Powers and Dominions in Spiritual High Places, incessantly conspiring against the Souls of Men. Nothing, therefore can be more convenient for Men than conspiring to save one another's Souls. By Reproof and other pious Acts they may pull one another out of the Fire: By mutual Admonition they may keep one another many time from falling into Sin, and by mutual Reproof from obstinate Persistance in it.  
At length we may see how graciously God has made that our Duty which is our Interest. What we are commanded by him to do, would, if we would but take the Pains to mind the Drift of his Commands, be readily dispatched by us, not only from a Principle of Filial Obedience to his Heavenly Majesty, but, withal, as so many Instances of Loyalty to the genuine and commanding Beauty and Loveliness of every one of his Commands. Surely we may say with S. John, His Commandments are not grievous. This delightful Remark could not be passed by without Ingratitude, whilst we are going to take notice that Friendly Reproof, which is of so advantageous a Nature, is one Christian Command, as the subsequent Texts witness, If a man shall trespass, says our ever-blessed Saviour, go and tell him his fault between him and thee alone. Brethrens, says S. Paul, in his Epistle to the Galatians, if a man be overtaken in a fault, do ye, who are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness. Brethrens, says S. James, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him, let him know that he which converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a Soul from death, and shall hid a multitude of Sins. In short, our Saviour diligently obeyed his own Command: His Example was a Precept of Authority, and with the considerate might have saved him the Trouble of an Oral Command; for Reproof was honoured with a bountiful Largess of his precious Time, who went about doing good. 'Tis true we can't reprove with that Authority with which he, to whom all power, both in heaven and earth, was given, did reprove: Neither can we reprove particular People of Hypocrisy, Vairglory and Pride, as he did the Scribes and Pharisees 'Tis not for us to pretend to be intimate with the Hearts of Men, as he was. Not Policies or external Wariness could hid them from him. But though we can't reprove as the Christ of God and the Jesus of Men, yet we may do some good by our Reproof, according to our poor Sphere of Knowledge and Authority. Finally, S. John prayed for Gaius' secular Prosperity, as well become a Christian Votary, and that great Favourite of Jesus, when he wished, That he might ●osper and be in health even as his soul prospered.    

CHAP. IU. Giving a clear and particular Account of all those prerequisite Qualities in the Reprover, who would reprove his Friend with most Success and lest Offence: Together with some plain Rules concerning the dexterous Application of friendly Reproof intermixed.  

SECT. I The Entrancce into the Chapter, explaining the Term Spiritual in St. Paul, and assigning, in general, those several Branches and Degrees of Spirituality, which 'tis necessary for a Friendly Reprover to be furnished with.  
ONE great Hindrance of the cheerful and constant Ministration of Friendly Reproof is, It's being so seldom Successful, and one great cause of its frequent unsuccesfulness is the so usually giving it awkwardly.  
Wherhfore, to prevent this troublesome Infelicity, I think it expedient to show what Virtues are directly requisite to set up an hopeful Friendly Reprover, and so by the way what Demeanour and Methods are properest to gain and recover a Friend by Reproof.  
I now consider Friendly Reproof as a Christian Duty, and shall instruct you in the Management of it as such, and for that Reason I choose the great S. Paul for my Guide, who charges Christian Brethrens to reprove, in case they are spiritual, intimating that it signifies nothing to attempt to do any good by Reproof, unless the Reprover be so and so qualified, and do apply it in such and such a manner. What the Endowments and Qualifications are which equip a Man to reprove his Friend with Success and lest Offence, may therefore be easily known by examining who are the Spiritual: Here than it will be convenient to have Recourse to the Place in the Bible where this Qualification is mentioned. Turn to the sixth Chapter to the Galatians and the first Verse, Brethrens, if a man be overtaken in a fault, do ye who are spiritual restore such an one in the spirit of meekness.  
Some Commentators are of Opinion, That the Spiritual, there mentioned, are the Apostolical Magistrates or Bishops, because they receive a greater Measure of the Holy Spirit than other Christians; and that this Command is solely given to them, to endeavour the Recovery of Excommunicated People. That Reverence which I bear to the Comprehensiveness of Christian Texts will not suffer me to reject the Sense, with some on the one hand, nor to confine these Words to it with others on the other Hand: The neighbouring Precepts are general, and given to both Clergy and Laity; and therefore I think these Words may be interpreted as a charge to them all, to strive together to do all the Service they could to the Church, by exercising all those several kinds of Christian Reproof, which their different Degrees of Spirituality, and their different Stations and Relations gave them Opportunity to give. Spiritual is a large Term, and it becomes Interpreters to give it that full Scope which the Apostle seems to have designed it. The same Measure of the Spirit does not fit a Man to reprove as a Magistrate, which will qualify him sufficiently to reprove as a Man, a Friend, and a common Christian; and yet the common Christian may be Spiritual as well as the Christian Magistrate: 'Tis the same Spirit which is communicated to all Christians, but than 'tis communicated in different Degrees. 'Tis not my Business to inquire what degrees of Spirituality are prerequisite to authorise a Christian to accept of Magistracy. Neither does it become those Plain and Ordinary Christians for whose use these Course Papers were writ, to be itching to know it. Fraternal amicable and Friendly Reproof is every Man's Duty (though there be some savage Wretches who live without any Friendship) and therefore 'tis every Man's Duty to know how to manage it. This is my Subject, in this I am very ready to instruct you.  
Spiritual than, if we take it in no higher a Sense than a Christian endued with a competent Measure of the Divine Spirit to reprove his Friend, denotes a Person whose Mind is so influenced by the Spirit as to elicit those Fruits of the Spirit in his Life and Temper, which are mentioned just before, Chap. 5. Verses, 22, 23. Now the first-fruits of the Spirit, saith that Great Apostle, are Love, Joy, Peace, Long-Suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance.  
These Nine Ornaments of a Christian contain in them all that Virtue which is necessary to make a Christian not only a skilful Reprover of his Friend, but also a Successful one, unless the reproved be very brutish indeed.  
Of these therefore I shall treat particularly in their Order. Indeed every one of them deserves a whole distinct Discourse; but I shall content myself with giving such a tolerable account as will suffice to show how essential they are to a well-managed Christian Reproof, and to extract some good Rules about the handy Administration of Reproof.   

SECT II Of SPIRITUAL LOVE, the first Qualification.  
SIncerity, or a kind Intention, is essential to the Performance of any good Office to another, and therefore essential to a Friendly Reproof, both as it is a Friendly Office and a Christian Duty. Now there can be no true Sincerity where there is not a precedent Plantation of Love in the Heart; and according to the Degree and Firmness of the Prepossession of this delicate Principle of Action, there our Sincerity is greater or lesle. Answerably also to the Value and Dignity of the Object of our Love, our Love is more or lesle excellent: Our Love takes its Denomination from its Object. Spiritual Love therefore is that Love which Christ recommended to his Followers and the Spirit of God, called the Spirit by way of Eminence, kindles in our Hearts.  
This Spiritual Love may be divided into the Love of God, and the Love of God's Creatures.  
I The first Part of Spiritual Love is the Love of God. As Love is the first Incentive of all voluntary Action; so the Love of God is the leading Principle and Impulse of all Christian Action. Our Love of God must fit in the Throne of the Affections, because he is the Fountain of all Loveliness. 'Tis but sitting that this Love of God should be the reigning Principle of Action in rational Creatures, who are capable of knowing that God is, and that he is the perfectest Being, the Creator of all Things, and the Author of all Perfection.  
This Love of God cannot be immoderate; for as his Creating all other beings but his uncreated self, shows that he was once more perfect than all of them; so his continual Preservation of them and their incessant Dependence upon him, after their Creation, declares him to continued the same Perfectest Being still. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without End. Our Love of him therefore aught to be constant. It should never Fade and Change. But God being uncapable of receiving any Kindness from us, because his immense and unparall'd Perfections raise him above the possibility of being an Object of Beneficence; the only way whereby we can express our Love is to obey his known William Hereby we may know that we love God, if we keep all his Commandments. He command us nothing but what he knows is convenient for us to do: Our Acts of Obedience therefore are not Acts of Merit, with respect to him, but Acts of Decency and Kindness to ourselves: Which Conservation and Promotion of our Being's, by so doing, is primarily owing to his Wisdom, who first commanded us to do them. So that Humility, and a low Conception of any Performance of our own, is a necessary Ingredient of a true Love of God. Now this part of Spiritual Love is a necessary Qualification for our Christian Administration of Friendly Reproof, as 'tis a Christian Duty in General, and not at all peculiar to this or any other Particular Duty. Whenever, therefore, we think of Reproving a Friend, we aught, upon this Consideration, to remember it as a good universal Rule; this aught to be done Principally, because God has commanded it; for the doing or not doing any thing Principally, because God has commanded the one, and prohibited the other to be done, is the greatest Expression we can make to God of our Love. This way of Expressing our Love and Esteem of God is what is meant by that known Phrase, having an Eye chief to the Glory of God. And when we offer Inferior Motives to persuade Men to do any Duty, we do so in Condescension to the Frailty of a common Faith, that by demonstrating the fitness of an Action in such a Method as does not surmount the Verge of a sensual Apprehension, we may, by degrees, train up their Minds to the ready Concession of this grand Postulatum in Christ's School; This is fitting to be done, because God, the author of all beauty, has commanded it to be done. The Entering upon an Action with this Reason in our Hearts, as the main Ground and Spring of our setting about it, is that which consecrates Actions and makes a Reproof or any other Action a peculiar Object of God's Care: 'Tis this that secures his Blessing upon it, of which we need not fear failing, unless the Action be of such a nature as to require the Concurrence of some other voluntary Action under God (for it may hap often in many Actions, that another voluntary Agent, for whom 'tis necessary to do something towards the Completion, I speak of the Methods of God's ordinary Providence, may hinder the perfect Growth of God's favourable Concurrence with such a dedicated Action.) Thus when we reprove with an Eye to God's Glory, God gins to concur with this Reproof, for the sake of our good Intention, and makes it as fair for Success as, this Action considered as a solitary Action in the Reprover, can be: But since the Concurrence of a second voluntary Agent, namely the Reproved, is necessary, under God, and conjointly with the Reprover, to give this Action perfect Success by his Reformation; if the Reproved is perverse, God may withhold his Concurrence, and so the Action not be crowned with Success: Nevertheless, this Action was blest with Success, as far as it was the Action of the Reprover, though it was not blest as it had relation to the Reproved: God and the Reprover have done their Parts, and 'tis not fitting that they should be charged with the Faults of the Reproved: So that whatever the Issue of a dedicated Action be, among Men, it can't be unsuccessful, if it be considered as begun to procure and continued us in the Favour of God; and therefore every Action, begot by a Principle of Love to God, is certainly Matter of Satisfaction and Complacency to a reflectful Mind. Which Consideration makes the Agent cheerful, constant and piously resolute to carry on his Attempt, and not to be distrustful of the Goodness of it, whether Honour or Dishonour attend our doing it, whilst he lives among Men of so many different Tempers. His knowing the Action to be a good Action in its self, because God has commanded it, and a good Action too in himself, the Agent, because he did it purely because God commanded it, frees him from the Trouble of making Superstitious Observations upon the Event. This is the conscientious and the happy Agent. For you hence see that he that does any good Action, because it is a Duty in general, has a common Principle to act by, and can't miss of attaining his main End, viz. the Favour of God, in respect to whose Commands he does it: Whereas, on the contrary, he who does an Action (though good in itself) sometimes to nourish Pride, sometimes because 'tis gainful in that Sense in which the World uses it, or because this or that Action is the darling Duty of his Constitution, so that it is but casually an Act of Obedience to God, but really an Act of Idolatry and Homage to self; in short, sometimes for one Reason, and sometimes for another (if the Sense of a God and his Nature and Laws be not extinguished in his Mind) he sets about it anxiously, for he may as well loose as gain his End; and if his Reproof, or any other Action, though good in itself, fails of Success, he has Reason, stand Cases how they will, to doubt that it was not so much because of the Default of other voluntary Agents, but because God did not vouchsafe to prospero it, for the Discouragement of such sinister and pitiful Motives of Action. Be sure therefore, Christian, when you are about to indite your Friend lovingly, for any Transgression, to remember, before you use any Human Means, to look up to God, as him who has Commended the Attempt, by commanding it. Entertain an humble Sense of the inconsiderableness of your own Endeavours, and than cheerfully trusl the Issue with him.  
II The second Part of Christian Spiritual Love is the Love of God's Creatures. Now our Love of the Creatures may be immoderate. This is manifest: for since we aught to love God above all things, 'tis certainly unlawful to love the Creatures more than, or as much as, him. Our first Rule therefore to be observed in the Love of the Creatures is, That the Creatures must neither have a greater nor an equal Share with God in our Affections. But though we must beware not to love them immoderately, yet they may all claim some Degrees of Love from us, because they are all the Workmanship of God; and if we love the Creatures as they are the Works of God, our Love of the Creatures is an Expression of our Love of God.  
But farther, to make our Love of the Creatures just and moderate, these four Rules should be observed.  
1. The whole Universe of Creatures is to be beloved more than any particular Species; for the most glorious Species of all is contained in the Universe of Species'; and besides the whole Universe of Creatures gives more Glory to God by their harmonious Variety, and are a greater Demonstration of the Existence, Power, Wisdom and Majesty of God than any, even the most glorious single Species of Creatures.  
2. All the several Species' of Creatures aught to be loved in different Measures, according to the different Degrees of their Resemblance of God; because one Species does not bear such signal Characters of the immense Perfections of God their Creator, as another does.  
3. Every particular Species is to be beloved more than any one single Creature of that Species; because every individual is contained in the Species; and every Species is the immediate Workmanship of God, whether it be a Species of Generable or Ingenerable Creatures; but we know very well that all the Individual Creatures of Generable Species, setting aside the two first Protoplasts of each Species, are not the immediate Works of God in such a Supreme Sense as Angels and those Protoplasts were.  
4. Particular Creatures of the same Species, in case they are voluntary Creatures, aught to be loved by us, more or lesle, according to their different Improvements of their Nature.  
They all resolve themselves naturally into this Proposition. Creatures are the Objects of Man's Love in different Degrees, according to the different Degrees of their Approach to the Nature of God. Whence, among other Consequences, we may deduce, First, That we should prefer the Good of our Neighbour's Soul before the good of his Body, because Man's Spirit is of an Angelical Nature, which is the Supreme Nature we know of under God; but his Body is of a brutal Nature, which is a Nature inferior to his own Nature, if his whole Nature be considered. Secondly, That we should love Man's Soul and Body, in Conjunction, more than either of them apart, for a Human Spirit or a Human Body, alone, is but an imperfect Creature. That a Human Body is so, I suppose I need not prove: But that a Human Spirit is such, perhaps, may sound somewhat harsh: But, is it does sound so, I desire you to consider, That if the Soul, when it leaves the Body, were a perfect Creature, there could be no Reason given, Why after this State no Man is capable of. preparing himself for Heaven? of which we are as certain as that the Scriptures are the Word of God. And yet the final Sentence is at as great a Distance from Separate Souls (by Separate Souls I only mean Souls not yet rebodied) as it is from those that are yet alive; for God has appointed one Day, in which he will judge the whole World. This Truth is likewise manifested by considering, That all Souls, immediately before their final Condemnation or Justification, shall be rebodied by the Omnipotence of God; and than, and not till than, be either perperfectly Miserable or perfectly Happy (happy or miserable they will be (though separated) but not perfectly so.) Thirdly, We hence learn that every Man aught to have some Men the peculiar Objects of his Love and Care: For Men are the chief Objects of Man's Assistance. Angels indeed are more lovely than Men; but than they're above the want of Man's Help. Now the Soul, were it to benefit the Human Universe, is to benefit some few particularly, as has been before shown. Fourthly, Every Man should choose for the peculiar Objects of his Love, the best Men, or at lest those of the best Inclinations, with whom he can get acquainted; for good Men, who labour to polish and perfect their Nature, love God more than bad Men, who deface their Make; for good Men strive to be more like God, and a Desire of being assimilated and united to any Object, shows an entire and firm Complacency in that Object: But Wicked Men so impair their Frame, that they every Day go farther and farther from God's Presence, and are nearer and nearer to that horrible Condition, of being disowned by God. When I say, They fly from God's Presence, I do not speak with respect to God's Omnipresence, for the right Hand of his Power holds them fast, wherever they are, but my Meaning is, That God is lesle visible to them here, where neither Mercy nor Justice have their perfect Work, and will be eternally invisible to them in that Glorious Attribute, his Mercy, in the other World.  
Now, first, we may learn that this Spiritual Love of the Creatures is a necessary Qualification for the Performance of Friendly Reproof, if we consider the particular Nature of this Duty, either with respect to the Reprover, or with respect to Reproof itself, and the Subjects of Friendly Reproof; or with Respect to the Reproved, who is the Object of Reproof. For first, As for the Reprover, it makes a Man do this Duty with cheerfulness: For his greater Love for Souls than Bodies convinces him that his Friend's Peace of Conscience, which is the Reward of a sober Life, does bear some Glimpse of the Satisfaction of God himself, is a more solid, perfect and durable Pleasure than the transient and momentary Pleasures of Sin, which Conviction makes his Reproving his Friend not only a good Act, as it is good in itself; but a good Act in the Agent, and consequently makes it a more rational and self-satisfying Act of Charity in him, which will make him administer it cheerfully and constantly; and by his cheerfully doing his Duty he procures the Pleasure of God, for God loveth a cheerful Giver. A Man that loves the Creatures spiritually, knows that by his Reproof, which is a sign of a transient and wholesome Displeasure, he endeavours to prevent his Friend's Pertinacy in Sin, which will degrade his Friend's Being, and force him, out of Love to God, to be eternally displeased with his Friend: For Devils and damned Ghosts are their own Creatures: They are Eternal Enemies to God, and therefore are not longer reputed the Creatures of God, or to be looked on by God as such; and therefore 'tis impossible to love God eternally, without hating them with a perfect and unalterable Hatred. Consequently, when our Friend is once enclosed in that horrible Order, by his Impenitence in this State, we must either part with ou● Friend or our God for ever; but our Reproof may make him exercise that Repentance, to which (notwithstanding some loving Feuds and Uneasinesses during the Intervals of giving and receiving Reproof) we shall own the Eternal and uninterrupted Enjoyment of both him and God too, where he will be as much above the want of Reproof, in his Capacity, as the bright Seraphim or Cherubims themselves. Secondly, Spiritual Love is a necessary Qualification for a Friendly Reprover, if we consider the Nature of Reproof itself, to make it Perfect and Impartial; for this Principle will not suffer him to pass by any visible Faults, as many do, who reprove for some Sins, but do not reprove for others. The Spiritual Love of the Creature does make a Friend not only reprove his Friend for Drunkenness, Uncleanness, Profaneness and such gross Sins, but also for those Extravagancies of the Tongue, and other Faults which the World counts small Sins, and not needful to be reproved, because they are not so destructive of Temporal Credit and bodily Health, or lay the Committers of them open to the Lash of the Law. Men of carnal Minds will reprove one another for Vices of the first Nature, and that too with a sincere Affection; but than this Affection is but Brutal, Partial and Injudicious: 'Tis an Affection only for one another's Bodies and Secular Interests, and does not come up to the noble Pitch of true Spiritual Love. Should one of those carnal Wellwishers see his Confederate, for the Term Friend is too excellent to be used of them, commit some private Act of Injustice or any other Sin which does not strike the Eye of the World, and so undermine their Secular Credit or Welfare, he would rather approve of, than reprove his Chrony for so doing: For as for the Welfare of the Soul, lie is not at all solicitous about that; and when he reproves him for palpable and open Vices, that threaten his Health and Temporal Reputation, he only does it out of Self-Love, because constant Companions being always judged to be alike, one Friend's Reputation suffers with the Reputation of another; or at lest he considers that a Friend of an ill Name will have the lesle Ability to serve him, because his Interest is thereby weakened in the World. But one who reproves by the Impulse of the Divine Principle of Spiritual Love, having a View of the Soul and the Body together, as they constitute one Man, will reprove a Friend with Regard to his whole Manhood, and therefore will reprove him not only for those Sins which maim his Secular Welfare, but for all visible Sins whatsoever, whether Commissions or Omissions, and that because he knows they are Sins, and therefore, without doubt pernicious to the Soul here, and which, if unrepented of, will treasure up Anguish to both Soul and Body in the other World: For he knows that no Actions can be so private but God sees them, though the Eyes of the World are regardless of them, and that all Sin being contrary to the Nature of God, God must needs hate Sin, and will punish it hereafter if it be unrepented of. He wisely considers, that let a sinful World pass as favourable a Sentence as they please on Men of lose Lives, whose Interests do not stand in Competition with theirs, nor hinder their Temporal Quiet, that his Friend must, however one Day answer for it before the final Tribunal, as well as Cutthroats and Robbers must for their Public Injuries which molest others. If they are Sins, be they against which of Tables they will, the Devil is very well pleased; for he knows that if they are unrepented of, he can take an occasion from them to blast the Reputation of the Agent before God and Angels, whose Esteem aught most to be prized. So that we see how necessary a Qualification for a Friendly Reprover a Spiritual Love of the Creatures is: For it has a Regard to both the present and the future State, and if our Welfare and Prosperity in the present stands in Competition with our Prosperity in the future, it submits our present Welfare to our future, because the future is Eternal and the present may be buta Moment, at lest 'tis but a Moment, if compared with the future. So also if the Pleasure of the Body stands in Competition with that of the Spirit, and consequentially with that of the whole Man, if we have a Regard to Futurity, it submits that to this, the lesser to the greater. Whence 'tis manifest that Spiritual Love is the perfectest Love with which we can love our Friend, because it comprehends the whole Duration of our Friend's Existence, and all his Human Capacities. Thirdly, We may farther learn from the third Corollary (which was drawn from those Rules which we laid down as necessary to be observed, to regulate our Love of the Creatures and to make it spiritual) that a peculiar Love for the Person whom we reprove, is essential to a Friendly Reproof, and so the Spiritual Love of the Creatures is a necessary Qualification in a Friendly Reprover, with respect to the Reproved, because it regulates the Choice of the particular Object of our Reproof, for (though it comprehends all Subjects of Reproof) yet it regulates the Reprover a different way, with respect to the Object, for though all Offenders, whether more or lesle, are the Objects of Reproof, yet every Offender is not an Objects of Friendly Reproof in every Man's Eyes. To make a Friendly Reproof agreeable with a Spiritual Love of the Creatures, 'tis requisite that he whom we reprove be our Friend. One of the Rules of a Christian's Love of the Creatures is, To love his Fellow Creatures above all other Creatures under Heaven: Now if he wishes well to them all, he must, as has been shown, love some more peculiarly than others. Should every Man attempt to reprove, or in any other respect relieve every Man, there would, through the impossibility of performing it, be nothing but attempting to do good without bringing any attempt to Completion, and so there would be no perfect good done. Wherhfore the good Christian endeavours to exert his Love, according to that degree of Strength that God has given him: He can very cheerfully praise God, for having made him a Man, and therefore will be far from aspiring to be above the Capacity of an Angel: He considers that it is God's sole and inviolable Prerogative to show Mercy over all his Works, and therefore humbly shows his unfeigned and discreet Love to all, by being a peculiar, constant and extraordinary Benefactor to some. God and Nature have taught us, by the Deficiency of our Strength, that private Friendships are the strongest Pillars of Universal Love. He that climbs to take hold of the Godhead, will fail of discharging the Duty of Humanity. A wise Christian will not, under Pretence to that Spiritual Love, the Nature of which many, who pretend to it, do not so much as understand, act pragmatically. If he is called to be a Temporal Magistrate, he will reprove as a Temporal Magistrate: If he is called to be a Bishop, he will reprove as a Bishop: If he has Children or Servants, he will reprove as a Parent or Master: If he has Pupils or Dependants he will reprove as a Tutor or a Patron: And if there is extraordinary Occasion of Casual Reproof, he will cheerfully obey the sudden Call of the Divine Providence, and stand up for the Honour of Religion. Otherwise he will meddle with no Body's Faults except his own and his dear Friend's, who sticks closer to him than Brother to Brother. Nevertheless, if he sees a Stranger offend, and knows one who is intimately acquainted with the said Offender, he will mind that Man's Friend of his Trust. But not to digress; Friends are equal, they know how to insinuate into one another, as far as is consistent with Duty, and to please one another's Humours, when there is occasion to speak of a Fault. They know what particular Arts of Address and charitable Policy are most likely to work best upon one another: They can urge, That they are obliged in Fidelity, Gratitude and Love to reprove. Besides, the Remembrance of a Friend's Favours and Helpfulness ingratiates his Requests, sweetens his Reproof, and makes the Physic lesle loathsome: His Universal Assistance suggests that the Reproof is given out of a loving Heart, as far as Love is discoverable: But any Act, if it be construed an Act of Love, how tart soever it be at the first to the Taste, is pleasant and grateful in the Digestion. Once more, a Friend may reprove constantly: He can reprove with Freedom and Parrhesie; he need not do't obliquely and cowardly. All these Circumstances plainly show how necessary 'tis for us to take care that we reprove none but our Friends for our Faults. Indeed a Friend's Reproof is not always welcome: There are a great many Motives that go to the making it so, and therefore a Stranger's Reproof can look but for cold Entertainment. This I thought fit to insist on, because most of those few who can be got to consider, that Reproof is a Christian Duty, found it so hard to be induced to remember not to stand tampering with the Sores of Strangers: So very much has Friendly Reproof suffered by those unseasonable Expressions of good Will, which indiscreet Reprovers have made. We need not question but every Man hath some Person whom he calls his Friend, and if they who pretend to be his Friends, do not show themselves friendly in this Respect, let them see to it, what is that to us? No Man can be every Man's Friend without Fickleness and Inconstancy: And, considering the depraved Tempers of the generality, Reproof is not a sit Act to begin with, in order to recommend us to any one's particular Esteem and Friendship: So that it is properest, unless you meet with an extraordinary wise Professor Christianity, to give a Signet of your peculiar Kindness in all other Instances first, and perhaps Reproof may be grateful in the rear; for if we would cure the infirm, we must handle them as infirm. In short, when any one is your Friend, you may reprove him as your Friend: If he is not your Friend, 'tis his Friend's Business, not yours, to reprove him for his lesser Faults. Give others fair Liberty to choose their Surgeon, since they have as much Right to a free Choice as we can have; and if they make an ill Choice, and will not choose new ones, after they have made such a Choice, they are rational Creatures as well as we, and have Ministers to direct them, and their Blood will not be required at our Hands. Nature will seldom let any but a Friend's Reproof operate kindly: Not Man can do all Men good: Let us therefore do good throughly to those few with whom we have handsome Opportunities of striking a wise Friendship, and than we need not question but that the great Inspector of the generous Desires of our Hearts, and the shortness of our Abilities will not condemn us for not doing more than we were able to do, and not assaying rash, extempore and effoet Charities, but will pronounce us before Angels and Men in the great Day of Accounts, faithful Stewards of all our Faculties, to God, and God's stately Universe of Creatures.   

SECT. III Of SPIRITUAL JOY, a second Qualification for a Friendly Reprover.  
THE great Alienation of Human Nature from the Divine, by the Fall of Adam, has engendered such dismal and dark Apprehensions of Virtue in our Minds, that we are apt to suspect that a Hook lies under every Reproof, and that those who endeavour to separate us from our Sins have a Design to abandon us to a State of Melancholy.  
Wherhfore, to stab this groundless Suspicion in the Hearts of any whom we would reprove, Spiritual JOY is a necessary Accoutrement for a friendly Reprover: He must beware of giving way to any Symptoms of Churlishness and Melancholy, such as clouded Looks and waspish Answers, and endeavour to breathe an Air of innocent Alacrity in the whole Tenor of his Conversation. By Joy I don't mean foolish and profuse Laughter; not, I am speaking of Spiritual Joy, a Joy that is the Author of sober and serene Smiles, Smiles that agreed with a thankful Recital of Psalms and Hallelujahs in God's Temple: This represents the intensest Acts of Devotion as Acts of Pleasure: This is a Pleasure which the Carnal are not capable of, and yet those who enjoy Spiritual Pleasures enjoy the prime of all carnal Pleasures, for indeed none but a Moderate Use of Carnal Pleasures can properly be said to be Enjoyment. He that moderately uses them, has the Prime and Youth of sensual Pleasures, without that Languor, Deadness, and those Diseases which the immoderately Sensual found in the extreme and decrepit Use of them: In short, Smiles, which are the Presents of a sedate and gratified Conscience. 'Tis Conscience that must be pleased: For Conscience only can procure this Joy of God's Spirit for us. This Spiritual Joy than is to be got by constant, circumspect Walking: For Conscience has an Eye always bend upon us, and therefore we must be always very cautious of doing any thing which will grate upon Conscience. Innocence, delightful Reflections and Obedience to the Divine Precepts is the richest Sacrifice we can offer to Conscience. True Universal Repentance is the only Holocaust with which we can appease this great Personage, which sits Representative of the Majesty of Heaven in every Human Breast.  
This Reverence of Conscience is a great Preservative against Envy, to which the other Sense of Spiritual Joy is opposite, viz. Fraternal or Friendly Gratulation. Gratulation is a Duty, which through the Prevalence of Flattery, being confounded with it, is very much despised and rejected in this Age. What Gratulation is, and what an excellent Office of Friendship it is, will take up too much Room in this Treatise to show it at large, for it can't be done without discussing the great Ends the Creator had in imprinting on our Natures the Faculty of Admiration, an Appetite after Glory; wherein the true Use and Abuse of it consists; how Gratulation differs from Flattery, and how we may distinguish these two Acts in another. Farther, this can't be done without showing wherein Pride consists, and what is not Pride, which seems very like it; as also without explaining the Nature of Vainglory, and what is not Vain glory, which seems at first Sight to unthoughtful Men to be so. The generality have very ill Notions of these Matters, and therefore to instruct them fully about the due giving and receiving Gratulation, I am convinced (though against my Will) there will be need of a distinct Treatise. However, I shall speak two or three Words of it, as far as it has Connection, I think, with the Duty of Reproof. To return than, whoever leads such a Spiritual Life as to rejoice in the Lord, will be so far from grudging and fretting, that he will exult, triumph and roar like the adoring Waves in Heaven, through Joy of Heart, when he sees God and his lovely Features delineated in another virtuous Person: He will rejoice, according to the excellent Counsel of S. Paul, with them who spiritually rejoice. Do you therefore, who would reprove acceptably, learn hence to be every now and than congratulating your Friend's Virtues. Seize on all Opportunities of acquainting your Friend how the pleasant Remembrance of such and such a good Action in him, cheers and transports your Spirits, and confirms and heightens your Satisfaction, in having made Choice of him for your Friend. Frequently tell him, That you think Heaven expects no small Improvement in Piety from you, upon the account of your Intimacy with such a brave Example of Virtue as he is. This is the way to convince him that whenever you chide him you are not egged on by a Spirit of Envy, Detraction, Uncharitableness, or an Humour that feasts on other Man's Faults, to censure him, but that you were constrained by a great Love to his Soul, and a Principle of Fidelity to your Pretences to reprove him. He that praises always is treacherous; and he that is always complaining can't but be very Burdensome. By owning freely and frequently his Instances of a Virtuous Conduct, and hanging much upon these fragrant Flowers, your Reproofs will not tempt him to be dronish and despair: And by telling him often of his Miscarriages, your just and prudent Commendations will not puff him up. Your Praises-will prove your Reproofs no Reproaches, and your Reproofs will vindicate your Praises from being calumniated for Flatteries. The contempering Gratulations for good Actions, with Reproof for bad ones, shows a true Friendship, as Agapete, that pious Deacon, has very well observed. He only mentions Speech, but what he says may very well be applied to Actions. Look upon those, says that excellent Author, to be your truest Friends, who diligently weigh your Discourses in a just Balance, and express a Fellow-complacency with you in the best of them; but are troubled and frown when you speak otherwise; for these produce a sure Token of their unfeigned Friendship. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. Farther, your intermixing Gratulations with Reproofs, shows that you are not guilty of too forward a Suspicion. Thus Cicero, in the forecited Essay upon Friendship, when he had just given a Charge to Friends to beware of Dissimulation, recommends a sweetness and pleasantness of Behaviour to our Friends; For, says he, there can be no Friendship but amongst good Men; for a good Man will observe these two Rules in Friendship; First, not to dissemble or cloak any thing which offends him; for a fair and sincere Person, who is of a generous and ingenuous Temper, will rather choose to be an open Enemy than a deceitful discontented Friend, and such an one who will not speak his Mind freely in case of Transgression: So also, secondly, he will defend his Friend's Reputation against the Accusations of others, and scorn to be always suspecting that his Friend has violated some Law of Reason. Courtesy and Pleasantness in Speech and Demeanour is that which seasons Friendship and gives it a grateful Savour. In compliance than with the Judgements of wise Men, do you, when you reprove your Friend for a Fault, mention one of your Friend's principal Virtues, and ask him calmly how incongruous that Divine Grace, and the Sin for which you reprove him are. Ah! say with Fraternal concern, Is it not a thousand Pity's your Life is not all of a Piece, and that you have not a whole set of Grace's answerable to that? And that he may believe that your so greedily praising whatever you see laudable in him, does not proceed from Partiality from him, or is merely used as an Engine and for Stratagem's sake, endeavour to bring yourself to a Habit of inflaming his and your own Emulation, by refining on the Excellencies of all the Heroic Examples which you either know in Person, have heard or read of. Talk not of other Man's Lives, are the admired Words of an admirable Writer; if by Lives, as the Context informs us, be understood their Faults, Misfortunes and Private Concerns. But were it possible for an Author of that excellent Spirit to have counselled us to have declined Speaking of the Virtues of others, according to the false Glosses of Modern Conversation, they would have been the fittest Motto to be inscribed on the Gates of Hell that any Division of that City of Horror and Confusion could have invented. The Desperate have made themselves uncapable of Virtue, and therefore the Thoughts of Virtue are dire and odious to them. Virtue indeed is a beautiful and pleasant Object in itself. Nothing lesle than an Heaven, a God, an alwise and powerful, a supreme and infinitely gracious Being to be eternally possessed, is the Purchase of it: This they know, and, OH wretched Creatures! They know withal, That there is an unpassable Gulf fixed between it and them: Thus they do believe and tremble. So that a mere Notional Faith is very consistent with a State of Eternal Distance from God: As Unbodied Spirits, they clearly see wherein true Happiness consists, and the means that lead to it. 'Tis this joined with a Sense of Unattainableness of it to them, that turns every Exertion of Joy unto good Spirits into a Thunderbolt against themselves: 'Tis for this Reason that every Virtue in Man whets their Rage, when they sincerely consider, That had they followed after a firm Virtue when they were here, as well as those Christians whose Prosperity they envy and continually undermine, that dreadful Condition need not have been their Portion. But with the Inhabitants of the Earth, blessed be God, it is not so bad: Nevertheless, 'tis too reasonable to conclude from what has been said, That their Souls are very near those black Clims, who feel all manner of Vice, but especially Envy and Uncharitableness, so imperious in their Breasts that they cannot bear with the mention of a good Example, or those Graces of God in those who are the brightest Lights of a dark Age: They will grant that a Man may be Proud, Selfconceited, Pharisaical, Vainglorious, and make a show of Piety before Men; they know so much by themselves, their Experience tells them this is practicable; they have acted a Part before now as well as the demurest of their Neighbours, and can, upon occasion, do it again, in the presence of a pious Prince, Benefactor or the like. But as for such or such an one's being Devout from a Sense of an omni-present Being, and an inward Complacency through a state of sincere Righteousness, constant Peace and ineffable Joy in the Holy Ghost, they question that very much: You may easily apply this to other Virtues, and the false Names with which they take care to sully and obscure them; but every Failing, especially in one who seems to have a little more Zeal than the inconsiderate Herd, is rich and just Matter of Censure and Invective. Here Tautology and Exaggeration is pardonable, and you may prate and parrot with a Grace: Comparisons themselves are not odious, because by this means the Drone and the Sot is as good as his Neighbours, though he does not make so much Appearance: But to buffet his Ears with a tedious and impertinent Harangue about this Man's Temperance, another's Industry, lashes his Idleness and Debaucheries, and it seems in this Age is formal and unmannerly; the Sight of a good Example gauls him sufficiently, and therefore to devil upon such Topics in Company will disturb Conscience too much for the Sinner to enjoy his deceitful Mirth. The good Man's Virtue, naturally of itself, upbraids the Sinner with his Transgressions, he reproves his Thoughts: He is grievous to him to behold, for his Life is not like other Man's, his Ways are of another Fashion; and hence it is that though the Wicked Man confronts the Sun in his scandalous Courses, and the whole Town is made privy to his Debaucheries, yet when his Infamy is ripe, and he sees himself become the Nuisance and Contempt of those that are round about him, the virtuous Neighbour notwithstanding his constant, courteous and peaceable Demeanour, is suspected, nay, 'tis well if not positively arraigned with an Oath, to be the sly Informer and a vile pragmatical Person: And to tender him such, if he speaks the last of the Company, though never so innocently of another Person's Fault which first provoked to it, or modestly addresses to them not to be so severe on the absent, they will squeeze an Offence out of his Words: They have an hundred Gins in their Ears laid for him, and do not question but they shall catch some slight occasion or other, for a monstrous Report. Wherhfore, virtuous Reader, 'twill be our safest way to leave them; and since they resist the Endeavours of their Friends for their Conversion, let us by no means forget them in our Closets. I am now speaking to Men of Candour, who delight in praising famous Men, and are as eager to admire their Splendours as they are to declaim against their Defects. You know this is the way to imitate them, and advance daily in Virtue; to excel yourselves as much as you do your Neighbours already, and yet still to be humbler every Day than other: Viewing and conferring about excellent Examples curbs a good Christians extravagant Thoughts of himself, and yet makes him a fit Object of self-esteem; hereby he has always very sensible Exhortations to Virtue; for Examples not only exhibit Virtue as lovely, but to be possible and attainable; nay, it will not suffer him to be contented with an ordinary Measure of it, and to be at a stand, but always gasping after nearer Approaches to a perfect Human Representation of his Creator. Speaking of them to generous Souls is an inoffensive and effectual Reproof of not only opposite Practices, but every degree of Sluggish Lukewarmness, and other Infirmities which are so little taken notice of but by selfconsciousness, that we have no express Names for them to reprove them directly: And, I believe, this indirect Reproof, by the Rules of Prudence, should always be tried first; that the reproved Person may have an occasion of hereby knowing how far Generosity has got Ground in his Heart. This will demonstrate that you delight in Virtue, and that you reprove Sin from a hearty hatred of Sin. Throw a Rose therefore on every worthy Man's Coffin: His Merits claim Respect to his Monument: They may exact some Tribute towards the persuming his Name, and the embalming his Memory from every pious Mouth.  
In short, if we would accomplish generous Purposes by mourning with them that mourn, 'tis expedient to rejoice in due Season with them who rejoice. The first is a powerful Antidote against Vice, the latter a brisk Spur to Virtue.   

SECT. IV. Of SPIRITUAL PEACE, the third Qualification of a Friendly Reprover.  
Spiritual PEACE is a necessary Qualification, whether we take it, first, for the particular Virtue of Peaceableness. Or, secondly, for a Satisfaction which arises from a general Testimony of the Reprover's industrious Endeavour to lead an universally righteous Life. Or, thirdly, If we take Peace for a particular Satisfaction from the Reprover's consciousness of his own good Intention, and of the just Grounds of his Reproof. And, first, 'tis necessary that the Reprover be noted for the Virtue of Peaceableness; for he that is given to Censoriousness and unreasonable Suspicions, to be Quarrelsome and Upbraiding on every occasion, exposes his Reproof to Misconstruction, and gives Birth to a Jealousy in the Reproved, that he reproves with a fierce Appetite, and gluts a malicious and envious Temper in so doing. As therefore you prise the thriving of your just and friendly Reproofs, beware of running into false and sergeant Reproof. Take heed of confounding Admonition and Reproof. Remember that God alone is the Judge of Hearts. Beware of arraigning any one for Hypocrisy, like Job's indiscreet Reprovers, for that's enough to provoke the Patient himself, and will betray them at lest into some indecent Justifications; for the Imputation of Hypocrisy is always very offensive, because 'tis not for one Man to arraign another of Hypocrisy; and therefore to such presumptuous Reprovers, Job's Words may be replied, How forcible are right Words, but what does your Arguing Reprove? ch. 6. v. 25. Their uncouth Reproofs seemed to be the greatest Affliction of all to him; and indeed 'tis a common Fault for People to be censuring others very deeply and severely, when they are in Calamity through their adulterate and confined Notions of the Methods of Divine Providence. If they're People more Circumspect than others, as to their external Carriage, than, if they can observe some Specks or Failing in them, they are apt to think that all their Devotion and Wariness of Behaviour was nothing but Hypocrisy, and a Net to get Love and Repute amongst Men; but these should remember, that notwithstanding some particular Offences, they might be sincere as to the main, and that Afflictions are sent rather as Signs of Favour than Tokens of Favour by our Heavenly Father. In short, not only beware of the more open Violations of Peace, but don't so much as vouchsafe your Ear to a backbiting and slanderous Tongue. Strive to Reconcile many Differences, and to repair broken Credits, and live as peaceably with all Men as 'tis possible for you to do in this Abusive and Opprobrious World; as far as is consistent with your Affection for your Religion, and that Peace of God and Conscience which passes all Understanding, and which the Violence of no Rabshekah can take from you. Fellow Peace, I say, with all Men, with this Limitation: For the peaceable Man's Reproofs must be taken in good Part, if any one's are.  
But secondly, Peace is a necessary Qualification, if by Peace be meant that Satisfaction which arises from a general Testimony within the Reprover, that it is his hearty Endeavour to live Godlily, Righteously and Soberly, notwithstanding very numerous Imperfections in him may be seen by his Friends in this Mortal State. This Satisfaction is in a great degree the Largess of the Spirit of God; and indeed this Testimony is necessary to make a Friend vigorous and earnest in giving Reproof, to inspire a proper Countenance, and to make it awful, that his Reprehension may be the keener, and touch the reprehended Person to the Quick. The Sense of that inexpressible Comfort with which an inward Testimony of a Tenor of Christian Sincerity refreshes the Reprehender's Mind, will not let him, in all Love, dismiss his Friend, before he has so far wrought his Brother, whom he would have be as happy as himself, up into such a reflectful Posture of Soul, as to give Audience to the Majestic Voice of Conscience, against the Sin for which he reproves him: Which is such a terrible Prediction of the intolerable Anguish of a wounded Spirit, and an eternally irreconcilable Conscience, that it can't but convince the offending Brother that there is no Peace to the Wicked, while they continued impenitently such; and that true, solid and permanent Peace is only the Harvest of Christian Integrity. I would not have any one think that I am of Opinion, That no Man can reprove to the purpose but he who is conscious of unsinning Obedience. Not, alas! for after that rate no Man could be capable of being a Benefactor by Reproof, for in many things we offend all, even the best of us. Heavenly Perfection is as inconsistent with the Life of Man, in this frail State, as Imperfection is with the Converse of blessed Spirits above. Whilst the Devil slides along the Earth he will be flinging some Dust into the Eyes of the vigilantest Christian. Neither Imperfections nor Sins, if the Offender show his sincere Repentance by a Tenor of good Life, tender a Man unfit to reprove his Friend. On the contrary, this common Sense of the lability of Mankind, proves the Necessity of Mutual Reproof among Friends, and is a fit Motive for every Friend to reprove his Friend, that when he offends, himself he may merit his Neighbour's Reproof, and the Benefit of such wholesome Awe upon his Soul. But however it aught to be considered, that there is a great Distance between Blemishes and transient Apostasies, which show the best Christian here to be a Man and a Mortal, and that wretched Carelessness and habitual Irregularity of Life, which proclaims many who have been baptised, and do throng our Churches, to be mere, and consequently hypocritical, Professors of the Christian Religion. We generally charge those who live strictest, though they sin the lest, with Hypocrisy, for sinning at all; and it must be confessed that every Sin is more or lesle an Act of Hypocrisy, or at lest appears such to the Eyes of the World, from which Hearts are locked up: But than, certainly those lewd and vicious Livers, whose whole Lives are, as it were, but one continued Chain of Sin, have the most reason to count themselves Hypocrites, since by sinning most they give others the strongest Temptations to brand them for Hypocrites; so that the profane Person who tramples upon the Promise he made at Baptism, in the Highways and Turn of the Streets, till he renounces his Baptismal Vow, must be confessed to be the most monstrous Hypocrite, though he is the most ready to call others so, who (though they really may be so inwardly) aught to be clearest of the Imputation, in our Judgements, because the seldomness of their Offences gives us lesle occasion to mistrust that they are such. They that offend seldom, do not like notorious Sinners, come with prodigious Beams in their own Eyes, to spy and pluck out the Motes of others. Alas! who will ever (though upon other Motives he may) desist from a Sin which is of an inferior Nature to every one of that vast multitude of Sins which are inveterate in such a Reprehender, for the sake of his Reproof? The Serenity and Consistency of a vigilant Person's Manners (though they be not perfect and unblameable in the Sight of the spotless omniscient Being, and when they're compared with the exact Prescripts of the Divine Law, yet since they are perfect, considered as the Manners of a Human Creature, in the state of Trial and Probation, where many Spiritual Enemies and Temptations are to be encountered with) will make way and raise Veneration for his Reproof. But that extraordinary Shame and vexatious Contradiction of Conscience and Countenance, which tormentingly haunts profligate Livers, will not permit them (supposing they should have so much Sense as to pity Sin in their Friends, because they have the Opportunity of seeing the Ugliness and Turpitude of Sin with more Advantage in others than in themselves) I say, supposing this, unless they have got such a Mastery over Shame, as to be throughly prepared Candidates of Devilship, it will not suffer them to reprove with that Freedom, Courage and Authority, which is the Grace of Reproof. A good Man's Infirmities may allow him some time to do others good; but scandalous Livers are too wretchedly in the Mire, and labour under too heavy a Load of Sin themselves, to have Heart, Time or Strength enough to relieve others. Whence you see how an erroneous Life deprives us of the possibility of doing any good this Way. 'Tis impossible for those who are remiss in other Duties, to discharge this. Such a close Friendship of Society do all the Duties of our lovely Religion hold together: So necessary is universal Righteousness. He that does one Duty and neglects others, in vain Hopes to do any Duty perfectly, and so as to have it construed Duty by God Almighty. I therefore advice such not to unhallow this excellent Branch of Charity with their impious Mouths, till they have cleansed themselves from their Aethiopian Filthiness, till they are as pure in the Eyes of the candid as they would seem to be in their own Eyes, though their Consciences testify against them at the same time, when they desecrate, ridicule and backbite this admirable Duty of Reproof, under a Pretence of Reproving by their uncouth Exprobrations.  
Moreover, thirdly, Peace is a necessary Qualisication in a Friendly Reprover, if we understand by Peace a particular Satisfaction proceeding from a Consciousness of a good Intention, peculiarly when we reprove: For 'tis; a particular kind Intention for the Person whom we reprove, which peculiarizes this Reproof; for unless you reprove as a Friend, your Reproof is not friendly, though he whom you reprove has approved himself a Friend to you: For, as we have shown in the second Section concerning the Spiritual Love of the Creatures, that in order to constitute a Reproof friendly in his Eyes, whom you reprove, 'tis necessary that you should first have received some visible Token of Friendship from him; and moreover that you should have also given him some visible Signet of your Friendship; so also 'tis necessary to constitute your Reproof friendly in the Sight of God, that you be incited to reprove him by a peculiar Love for him, which is visible only to God.  
Lastly, To have that entire Peace which is requisite to make you a through Friendly Reprover, you must not fail to have a firm Assurance that you reprove him for a just Cause and upon just Grounds, such as your seeing him commit a Fault, and that it is really a Fault which you reprove, a commission or omission of something that is forbidden or enjoined either explicitly or implicitly in the Holy Scriptures. Adhering to this Rule is the Top-Branch of Christian Prudence in administering Reproof. S. Paul has told us, That all Scriptures, inspired by God, was given us, among other excellent Uses, for Reproof. 'Tis by them that we infallibly know, without the Pains of long natural Demonstration, what are the fixed and certain Subjects of Reproof and Commendation; and it is an indiscreet, I might say an impious, thing, to draw Matter of Reproof out of our own Humours: For, what is this but to dictate a new Bible, and to suppose the Divine Inspired Write imperfect? Every one is guilty of detracting from the Bible, who offers to make Actions Subjects of Reproof, which the Divine Oracles have not declared to be so. A wise Christian, who looks on the Christian Canon of Reproof to be perfect, need not fear making foul Blunders, or incurring the Censure of captiousness and impertinence, which are the two unlucky Apes of Reproof, except it be from some Men, who can charge God foolishly, as though he would call Good Evil and Evil Good. It may therefore be convenient to mention the Text which forbids the Act which he committed, or enjoins the Duty which he omitted, and to desire him to declare his Judgement about it, before you apply your Reproof, that so his Conscience may speak before you, and your treading so surely may make your Reproof take the deeper Root in his Mind.  
It must be confessed, there are some indecent Singularities which are offensive in Company, and do discredit them in whom they are observed; though the Gestures or Actions considered simply in themselves, are not Evil in their own Nature, nor forbidden by God, but are accidentally evil, because they are offensive, as deviations from Custom in indifferent Matters, for which indeed Custom is a Law: And therefore a Friend may very commendably strive to break his Friend of them, because by this means Peace is promoted and Offences are prevented. Nevertheless, it behoves a Friend not to express Indignation, when he speaks of them, since they are not Vices, or simply unlawful in their own Nature: And in such an Attempt he should chief urge, that we should keep Harmony with all Men, by complying with their Humours as far as we can without Sin, and displeasing God, always dreading to approach the Heart, and rashly imputing it to Affectation. Charity will sooner reckon it an Habit and an Infelicity contracted in Youth; and which for that Reason must be got rid of by degrees. But be sure you do not dehort him from it gravely, and with as much Solemnity as if it were declared Matter of Reproof by God; for we should always take Care to put a Distinction between Actions that are necessarily and intrinsically Evil, and those that are but contingently so; for if we should speak of offensive Singularities with that trembling and concern as we should when we reprove for a Fault, we should seem to be as solicitous to destroy a Habit, which is only displeasing to Men, as we are to destroy a Habit, which aught to displease Men, and does certainly displease God; which is to represent ourselves, as having an equal Fear of God and Man, that is to say, as dreading Infirmity and Omnipotence alike. Besides, such a manner of Speaking about indifferent Habits would make our Reproofs for necessary Evils the less regarded because this would make our Reproofs too frequent and trivial; by which means they will bear a hue of dastardly Fretfulness instead of the majestic Characters of Reproof. In short, we should take Care to admonish them against affecting them, for if they are affected they are wilful Violations of Peace, and so they are Sins: But however, affected Offences are not the Object of particular Reproof, because the Root of Affection is in the Heart, but the Springs of the Heart are invisible to us. Wherhfore, all that we can do is solemnly to give a particular Admonition against affecting them. And when we have admonished them against affecting them, the best Art we can use to break them of them, whether they be affected or not, will be to smile them out of such Habits: By smiling you'll hint that they are ridiculous Actions and Objects of Laughter to you, as you are a risible Creature by Nature: And by struggling with your Sides at the Temptation, you will suggest, that though you could not help smiling, you would have helped it if you could, for your not suffering yourself to laugh will demonstrate that you are willing presently to withstand the Assault of any Temptation to such Carriage, which savours of Disrespect to a Friend; for loud Laughter stirs up Rage, and no Man can endure to be made his Fellow Creature's Baboon.   

SECT V Of LONG-SUFFERING, a fourth Qualification in a Friendly Reprover.  
LOng-Suffering is requisite to make us constant in Reproof, and not weary of well-doing, though our Friend is uneasy under Reproof. Reproof aught to be uneasy. Both the Reprover and the Reproved should be troubled at their being Occasion for Reproof. 'Tis this Uneasiness that makes patiented Perseverance in Reproving our Friends a Virtue, and the Virtue Long-Suffering a necessary Qualification whenever we Reprove. Without this we shall quickly be discouraged from ever reproving our Friend. We should consider one another's Infirmities; by bearing one another's Burdens we shall fulfil the Law of Christ. Man would feign be innocent though he is unclean from the Womb, and therefore we must allow him to be disturbed while his Friend is smiting him. After the Potion is settled, perhaps that which was Gall in the Throat will be acknowledged to be Honey in the Stomach: And, grant, the Worst, though he should be ungrateful a long while, yet your patiented bearing with his Ingratitude against you, will shame him into a grateful Sense of your Long-Suffering Love. 'Tis very unaccountable to leave of Reproving because Reproof is bitter to the Palate. Many Friends have sown good Inclinations in one another, which, for all their gliding Displeasures, have showed their Heads above Ground at last. God is a God of Patience and Season. We should imitate him, and know when to sow a Reproof; and when we have cast it prudently into our Friend's Ear, learn to wait with Submission for the Usury of our Grain in due time. If the great God condescends to call and invite, after many gracious Invitations have been slighted, and many Fatherly Corrections have missed of Success, shall we think much to wait and condescend not to desert our Friends, even for repeated Abuses of our Reproof? Is the Servant above his Lord?  
Briefly, Reproofs are generally owned substantial Acts and Exercises of Love upon the Deathbed. Which consideration, methinks should be a powerful Motive to Constancy in this Duty.   

SECT. VI Of GENTLENESS, a fifth Qualification of a Friendly Reprover.  
GEntleness. or Courtesy storms Hearts without Noise. Affability and humble Submission to all Men, and readily clasping with the lawful Desires of our Friend, and giving him the Precedency in Debates about indifferent Matters, especially in the Presence of others, arms Reproof with the most charming Endearments, ushers in with great Authority into his Closet. Wherhfore be sure always to remember never to give Whisperers an Advantage of spoiling your Reproofs, or of Soiling them, by being able to tell him, when you so much as spoke disrespectfully of him, or made a Complaint of this or that personal Offence. Always set a Watch over your Lips, and keep the Wicket of your Mouth. Speak evil of no Man, that is the surest way never to speak Evil of your Friend. He that suffers his Friend's Faults to be the Entertainment of the Company behind his Back, abuses his Friend, if he tells him of a Fault before his Face, though never so privately. We cannot either jeer, or slander, or backbite and reprove the same Person, at lest till we have repent of our Misdemeanours behind the Curtain.  
Take Care farther, Friendly Reprover, not to let your Freedom with your Friend in private be blurred by a downish Carriage to him in Public. Whoever contracts friendly Intercourse with you, honour him at all times according to his Character and Dignity all one as though he were a Stranger; and though some may think this Formality, yet I'm sure 'tis such a Formality as Reason prescribes, for 'tis a foolish thing to adopt those for our Friends whom we don't really esteem, and very absurd (nay I can't conceive it possible) to forbear expressing Honour outwardly to those whom we inwardly revere, since we are naturally willing that our Friends should believe and know we have a sincere Respect for them. But, indeed, I don't wonder that those partial Friends who are only Partners in Vice, and employ their Tongues against the Absent, should condemn outward Expressions of Respect among Friends, since they have at best but a brutal Love for one another, and are uncapable of exchanging a rational Esteem. 'Tis Flattery in them, and therefore deservedly odious, since they're conscious they don't deserve it from one another. But I am giving Directions to true Friends, who are the Tutors and Patrons of each other's Souls, who discourse of those Subjects which belong to them, and scorn to turn Society into an Hell, and Salamander-like to delight to live in the Fire of Strife and Contention. If they talk of others 'tis to contrive to do 'em some good, and to make one another useful Servants to the Public. In short, Flattery, Dissimulation and toyish Compliments may be banished and yet regular Civility may be preserved. Friendship and Sincerity, and a useful Familiarity may be maintained without odd Names, and affected Bluntness, which befriends nothing but a licentious irregular Sociableness. To conclude this Section, Courtesy to our Friend will vindicate our Reproof from the Censure of Disrespect; and I hope nothing is to be accounted inconsiderable and fit to be rejected, which may gain a free access for your Reproof through your Friend's Ear, to his Heart and Affections, which is that Familiarity which regulates the noblest sort of Familiarity.  
True Familiarity consists in the prudent exercise of a free and generous Intercouse of Hearts among Friends: When Friends have such a generous Confidence in one another, after a long Experience, and many alternate Trials of each other's Fidelity and Circumspection, as to be able, without Dalliance and Reluctance, to uncloset their Hearts upon any occasion: When they can confess their Sins humbly together, without Fear of being threatened to the World for their Simplicity: When they can mutually enumerate the peculiar Instances of God's gracious Providence and Care of them, without the lest Dread of being posted up for Vainglorious Pretenders: When they are so wise and happy as to have no Grief, no Joy which they durst not communicate: Friends may be truly said to be true Friends and Familiars. These are the Friends who may rationally rejoice in one another: For such Friends, when the greedy Grave snatch; them away, Grace as well as Nature wrists Tears from us: What Tongue can express that mighty Satisfaction which their being possessed of an Intimate who is so trusty and discreet, must need afford? An Intimate, to whom I can venture to reveal all that I know of myself: To whom I can reveal those Deviations of my Mind, which, for aught I know, none but my God and my Jesus, my Tutelar Angel and my affectionate Pastor know besides myself: Who will bespeak my Tears for his Failing, and my Thanks for the Mercies which he has received from the Hands of our common Father in Heaven, who has an Ear always open to the pure and sincere: An Intimate who will use his daily Endeavour to make my Soul more rich and beauteous: Who will instil into me a Spirit of Thankfulness by his seasonable and decent Gratulations, and strive to make the Incense of my grateful Heart more acceptable to the great Patron of Angels and Men, by his Devotion and Gratitude to God on my behalf: Whilst millions of Souls, in all probability are made vain in their Imaginations by the Flatteries of their false Friends: Who will contribute towards my obtaining a Spirit of Humility, Penitence and Prostration of Spirit, by his Confession of his own Sins and his Reproofs of mine: A Spirit of Charity, by his fervent Intercessions: A Spirit of Vigilance, by his Admonitions: A Spirit of uncommon Zeal, by his powerful Exhortations: A Spirit of Prudence by his Counsel; a comprehensiveness of Understanding and a Volubility in the holy Dialect, by communicating whatever useful Maxim he has got by Books, Conversation, Sermons or Experience: This is the Familiarity which enlarges the Understanding, rectifies the Will and sets us forward on our Journey to Happiness. Is not this therefore the noblest Familiarity and most becoming wise Men? According to this Account of Familiarity, Friends may be familiar without using the Language of the Plough, an affected Bluntness: The reason why I insist so much on this is, because I have observed 'tis an Art whereby the Devil, though few observe it, has promoted Unprofitableness and idle Jesting in Conversation. There may be a constant Use of such Expressions as denote Respect, without any Danger of Distance: This is convenient, that Friends, when they are together, may have that continual Sense of the Dignity of Human Nature, which is very necessary to procure us the true Advantages of Friendship: For 'tis this that is the Primary Cause of our Capableness of receiving mutual Benefit by Reproof.   

SECT. VII. Of GOODNESS, the sixth Qualification for a Friendly Reprover.  
GOodness or Benignity and Usefulness in all Respects, as Opportunity favours, demonstrates a Man a Friend indeed. Men judge of the Sincerity of their Friends by universal, not single Kindness, especially if it be a Kindness which peculiarly Eyes the Soul. Such is the Frailty, so great is the Sottishness of lapsed Man! OH how strangely are we immersed in Sense! But I will not devil upon this melancholy Thought. Show yourself an entire Friend to your Friend: Trust him with great Secrets, even the Secrets of your Soul, as Pledges of your Secrecy, and of not taking Notice of his Faults to any Body else: Instruct him wherein he is ignorant, counsel him wherein he doubts, relieve him in Distress, readily receive and faithfully retain his Secrets, have an open Ear to any reasonable Request, comfort him in Affliction, as on the Bed of Sickness and in the Day of Adversity, when his Spirits are sad and low; vindicate his Innocence when he is defamed; palliate his Faults when you hear him complained of; forgive his particular Breaches of Trust in yourself; have useful Conferences frequently with him; praise his good Actions behind his Back; congratulate any sort of Prosperity and his Virtues before his Face; exhort him to Perseverance in the ways of Piety, and in all laudable Designs and Endeavours; lastly, admonish him against Offences to come. Admonition is a great Act of Charity, and every Reproof should be backed with it: It is a Shield against all Sins whether external or internal, and assists all the Faculties of the Soul. Wherhfore, whenever you reprove your Friend for an actual, visible Fault, don't fail to for warn him against it for the future; as also against those secret Maladies of the Soul, bad Suggestions and Habits of the Heart, of which the visible Sin seems mostly to bear a hue; for no human Eye can pierce the Heart, and therefore they are Subjects only of a general and indeterminate Reproof; but, however, they are the Subjects of particular Admonition. The being an Example of so many excellent and various Offices of judicious Friendship can't but captivated his Esteem, and open his Eyes to see that your Reproof is a Ray streaming from a Divine Principle of heavenly Love.  
But since Goodness is so lovely, certainly Gratitude for Goodness is comely and sitting; and therefore I can't but think it a Piece of Prudence, and very conducive to the Success of the Reproof at the very instant of your giving it, to mention to him such or such a great ●●ndness which he did for you, and to tell him that, that would have been Fuel of Horror to you one Day, if you had neglected to have reproved him for the present Fault, and that you expect him by way of Return to lay the Obligation of a Friendly Reproof upon you.  
Lastly, To all your other Acts of Beneficence add one more; frequent, earnest, particular and private Intercession to God for his Soul. This is the greatest of them all. Thus we may be charitable to all Men, but we cannot allow every Name a Minute in our Retirement: Nevertheless, no Man would grudge it, or many Minutes upon an extraordinary occasion, upon a Relative or Friend whom he loves as his own Soul. Pray therefore for him, That he may prospero even as his Soul prospers; That his Love may abound more and more in Knowledge, and in all Judgement; That he may approve of Reproof and Experience, and delight in all things that are excellent; That he may be sincere, and without Offence at the Day of Christ, being filled with the Fruits of Righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, to the Glory and Praise of God. God's Arm is not shortened, that he should not save, though ours is.   

SECT. VIII. Of FAITH, a s●venth Qualification in a Friendly Reprover.  
FAITH is so essential to constitute any Action Good and Christian, that without it it is impossible to please God. Every Attempt must be dedicated to him in the Name of our Lord Lord Jesus Christ, whose Blood shed upon the Cross was the sole living Fountain of Pardon and Reconciliation. We must remember that 'tis principally for the sake of this one Mediator that any of our Services are accepted by God. We were put by the Fall of Adam into such a state of Distance from God, who is of purer Eyes than to behold Iniquity, that had he not so loved the World as to sand his Son to be a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World, and imparted of his Spirit liberally upon the Apostles, after our Saviour's Ascension, for the sake of his inestimable Sacrifice and Victory over Death, and imparted ever since more or lesle of the same Spirit to all his Followers, none of us could have been in a Capacity of presenting any Oblation without Presumption, and without rather exchanging his Anger and Indignation than procuring his Favour; for the Unclean can offer no Clean Sacrifices till they are cleansed from their Filthinesses, and the Return of the Spirit of God, without whose Aid and Presence 'tis impossible for us to purify ourselves from our original Turpitude. And since the Spirit comes upon his account, we must remember in every Undertaking that 'tis principally for his sake that any of our Services are accepted; and when we have offered it to God in the Name and Mediation of so great a Person as the first-begotton Son of God must needs be, we aught in Reverence to his Merits, notwithstanding our own unworthiness to countenance a cheerful and steady Confidence in God, as to the Event and Fruitfulness of Reproof.  
If we verily believe that God is, and is a Rewarder of them that seek him in the humble Obedience of his Commands, we can't but rest satisfied in his Arms, and secure of a Reward to ourselves of whatever Consequence the Reproof be to our Friend. God sees all the hidden Determinations of the Will, and notes down every loving Experiment in his Book; so that we need not suspect that we shall fail of a Reward for the discharge of our Duty. And than as to our Neighbour, though he's peevish and apt to be Senseless of his Spiritual Interest, for Sin is a very dangerous Sorceress, and our awkward Reproofs (for such all, even the best Reproofs of sinful Creatures are, and rather irritate than heal of themselves) yet Faith fixes our Hope on God, and excites us humbly to bespeak God's Grace, to give us Prudence to reprove in such a Manner as becomes such Creatures as we are, to reprove and to prospero our Friend's Charity to the Health of our Friend's Soul, after we have used our best Endeavours. This Method, if any, is likely to succeed. And here it may not be amiss to caution you against Sacrificing to your own Net, and burning Incense to your own Diagoras, when your Reproof has took effect. 'Twas by his Breathing on your Project that you so happily caught a Soul: Give his Blessing therefore the Glory, jest in just Indignation he deny it another Time.  
And indeed one great Reason why general Reproofs have sometimes pierced some Men so deeply, even when particular ones have failed, is to teach us to look up to God who superintends all our Actions and Hearts, as the great Author of all Success; and for that Reason always to remember, That his Glory should principally be Eyed, since the Conversions of all that repent, as well as the Obstinacy and Presumption of the Obdurate will terminate into his Glory in that great Day, when the King of Glory with a mighty Power shall open the Gates both of Heaven and Hell, and all human Souls, according to their different Demeanour here, shall be admitted into their everlasting state of consummate Bliss or Misery. This Consideration was entertained by S. Augustin, when he had unexpectly been an Instrument of Conversion to Alipius, who, it seems, laid out too much time on the Races and other Diversions of the Circus, though he had a long Time, in vain, laid in wait for a seasonable Application of a particular and designed Reproof. Those of us, saith that admirable Father, who lived friendly together, used to bemoan the Riots that are rife upon such occasions, but especially Alipius and Nebridius, who would speak their Minds the most freely and familiarly wi●h me: Alipius was born in the same Town as I was, some Years after me. When I first taught in my native Town and at Carthage, he had studied with me, and had a great Kindness for me, because he took me for a good and a learned Man: He was one of a great Genius and eminent Virtue, so great indeed that it could not lie hid in his first Years: But the corrupt Morals of your Citizens grew so raging and prevalent, by reason of those vain and trifling Spectacles which daily encouraged Idleness in that Place, that they swept him away like a fierce Whirl pool, and plunged him into a fierce Love with the Pastime of the Circus. And though, at this Time, I was a public Professor of Rhetoric, he was not than one of my Auditors, upon the account of a private Grudge between me and his Father: Nevertheless, I was very much concerned to see such a great Hope in Danger of being shipwracked; nay, indeed my Hope was almost expired, for his Levity and Madness at that Time appeared Mortal and Incurable: Besides, I had no fair Season or Pretence to Admonish or Reprove him; for I could not reprove him as a Master; and as for Friendship, I thought that could gain ●o standing in his Mind, being, I thought, his Father's Enmity had alienated his Mind from me. But thou, OH Lord, didst teach him to slight and forget it, for he came and heard me at last, and very respectfully attended to, and considered upon my Lectures: In one of them I occasionlly brushed upon the Folly and Abuse of Public Shows; which sunk so deep into the Youth that he was enraged with himself for his past Resort to them, and loved me more ardently than his Father could possibly hate me; that thy Words, OH God of Love and Wonders might be verified; who hast said, Reprove a Wise Man and he will love thee. But indeed I had not reproved him: But thou canst use, in thy own good Time both the plotting and the ignorant to the Service of thy Designs: These Ways surpass our Thoughts; however thy Order and Method is just, comely and best; and we thy poor Creatures hence do learn to blush at the Insignificancy of our Works, and do revere the Beauty and Depth of thy Counsel. Thou madest my Tongue sharper than a Sword, and his stupid Mind sensible by thy Caustics, and hotter than burning Coals till thou hadst healed him: So happy is the Son whom the Lord chasteneth. See S. Austin, l. 6. c. 7. of his Book of Confessions.  
I leave the Reader to apply this Instance to his own Mind.   

SECT. IX. Of MEEKNESS, the eighth Qualification of a Friendly Reprover.  
THE Virtue Meekness consists, either in not being soon Angry, not being easily Provoked, or Angry without a just Provocation, and when we should not be Angry; or, secondly, when we are Angry on a just occasion, in bounding that Anger, which S. Paul calls being Angry without Sin, for Anger is a Natural Passion: Meekness is not the Extinction of Anger, but our regular Use of it. Now Meekness, in both Senses, is a necessary Qualification for a Friendly Reprover: For, first, habitual Meekness, or seldom being angry, and never exerting it without just Provocation, is as great in effect as trivial and groundless Anger is in Show. Who can withstand Meekness? When a meek Man, who is not known to be often or hastily angry, complains, a Friend will conclude that one of the Divine Tables is broken, for it must be something that is not only offensive to his Disposition but is really ill in its own Nature, that can provoke a Moses to exert Anger. A mean occasion will not raise such a one's Passion. By'r, moreover, Meekness is necessary too, because it fits us to bear Reproof patiently and thankfully, and it must be confessed that such a Temper is necessary for a Reprover, that he may be one of an exemplary tameness when he is reproud: For how can he expect that Gratitude from others, which, when he is reproved, he will not express himself? Not one will ever think such an one a sincere Reprover. In opposition therefore to such gross Hypocrisy, do you, when you reprove, chide your Friend for not reproving you for a Fault which you have traced in yourself by Reflection, and for which he did not reprove you, though he could not but observe it in you; that is to say, if ever the Case stands so indeed, Than you may say to him thus, or to this purpose, If Impenitence for this Fault would have damned me, I should have been never a whit helped by you to prevent the Cause of such eternal Misery. Is not this very unkind?  
And as habitual Meekness is a necessary Qualification for a Friendly Reprover, so, secondly, actual Meekness is a necessary Ingradient of a dextrous Reproof. Actual Meekness consists in moderating our Anger. S. Paul charges us particularly, to Reprove in the Spirit of Meekness, and afterwards subjoins this excellent Reason for it, considering thyself, jest thou also be tempted; to which give me leave to add, and when tempted fall: For, as 'tis no strange or unusual thing for us to be tempted in this state; so neither is it a surprising Business for a Man to be overcome by Temptations. When we reprove a Friend, therefore, we should take Care to express our Grief and Anger (for Resentment has been showed to become a Reprover) without Pride and Fiercenses. It must be the Anger of a Friend, not the Anger of a Panther. Be not highminded but fear. Let him that stands, take heed jest he fall, are excellent Sentences, and should always be writ upon our Minds, when we are going to reprove, that we may do our Duty without the Commission of a Sin. 'Tis a dreadful Presumption to tell a Person of a Fault only to tease and exasperated him: But I am not addressing to such Wretches. Not, not, there are too many, who, though they reprove with a benign intention, fly from a decent hatred of the Sin, and Sorrow, and Trouble for the Offence of their Friend, into an extravagant Anger with the Person who committed it. Hear me, my beloved Friends, Is this to reprove as Brethrens? Rage is no fit Companion for Reproof: This Wrath of Man will not work the Righteousness of God in our Friend: The best Reprovers are not spotless as God. Men should, when they reprove, consider that they are Men, not Brutes and destitute of a thinking Capacity; and that they have to do with Men, not Angels, who are out of the Shot of Temptations. Friends should not, when they reprove, speak like Masters and Magistrates, but like Friends and Equals. Alas! What mean poor Mortals by a magisterial Carriage in reproving? Surely they forget that we all tread upon slippery Places, and wrestle with Principalities and Powers, often stumble and are often worsted: That though some Humble oftener than others, yet all stumble often enough to be lowly, and when they be tripped up by a Temptation they stand in need of a helping Hand. Surely they forget that before Baptism they were polluted Lumps of Clay, and have frequently since contracted Gild enough to have been thrown long ago into the Kennel of Devils for ever, if infinite Justice had dealt rigorously with them; and that 'tis by the Grace of Jesus they are what they are, capable of Heaven by true Repentance, and obnoxious to Hell, notwithstanding all Repentance, without the Application of his Merits. For God's sake, let us remember, and for Christ's sake, who does not drag but draw our Souls by his Spirit gently and compassionately, that when we reprove a Friend, Sinner speaks to Sinner, jest Haughtiness and Wrath anathematise our over-pompous Charity in the Sight of God, with whom a meek and quiet Spirit is of great Price. When Friends carry themselves like Furies to their Friends, the Sense of the Sin (to quicken which is the peculiar Drift of Friendly Reproof) is drowned in that Amazement and Vexation which boisterous Passion is want to raise: 'Tis to be Precedents of Sin, and perhaps a greater Sin than the present Subject of our Reproof, even whilst we bring an Action against it. But God will not suffer the Meek to reprove so awkwardly, for them that are meek God will guide in Judgement. A Mind that is not ruffled with disorderly Passions will not suffer a Man to reprove his Friend, but when his Friend is sedate and fit to receive it with Profit. The Meek Man reproves with a degree of Anger proportioned to the degree of the Nature of the Crime, and not only weighs its Aggravations, but also considers its Alleviations, and to be sure he always takes Care never to be hurried into that degree of Anger which does not comport with a due Respect for Human Nature, which becomes him as a Fellow-partaker of it; and because in this State the Image of God, which was originally impressed on all Men, cannot be perfectly obliterated. A meek Man never reproves, only to sluice a private Humour, or unseasonably; but he patiently watches for a convenient Opportunity to promote a Soul: He hugs and makes much of all Seasons to do good in: He is not rash and temerarious; he does not censure, envy, repined or fret, nor meddle where his Fingers have no right to feel: He constantly uses his Tongue as an Instrument of Good and a Messenger of God: He always avoids hurtful Blabbing and Fomenting Strife and Folly by needlessly multiplying Words: He imitates the Divine Spirit, the Arch-reprover of Mankind, by reproving in a private Place, and in a soft Voice, mingling with his Resentment a powerful and commanding Tenderness: His Tears are not as the Tears of the revengeful, Resemblances of the Sparks of Hell-fire, but they are the overflowing Emanations of a silently active Love; and, if I may be allowed so to speak, effluvia's of the Bowels of the long-suffering God, and therefore they can't but be successful Spells for good to the reproved, unless he has a Heart of Adamant, a Conscience all incrusted over with numerous Sins, that have settled themselves into invincible Habits, and a Mind entombed in Sense.   

SECT. X. Of TEMPERANCE, the ninth and last Qualification in a Friendly Reprover.  
THAT Temperance is a necessary Qualification in a Reprover, is so obnoxious that I need not spend Time to prove it, since no body will listen to the Reproof of a debauched, flagitious and intemperate Fellow. For his Reproof will never be taken for a serious Reproof, who is never serious himself but when his Drunkenness ties his Tongue, and the Diseases consequent upon his immoderate Use of sensual Pleasures confine him to his Bed. This can't properly be called a voluntary Gravity, and 'tis a very dangerous Error to think that such a Repentance will suffice to curry us to Heaven Besides, I have premised that a preconceived Belief of the Reprover's good Intention, Friendship and Secrecy (for retentiveness of Secrets is one peculiar Office of Friendship) is one great Recommendation of Reproof. But who is there that can't more than conjecture that a sottish Fellow, who vomits out his Breast before Enemies as well as Friends, can be no secure Cabinet to lay up Secrets in?  
I have now spoke as much as I thought would be convenient concerning those nine Qualifications which constitute a Friendly Reprover, viz. Love, Joy, Peace, Long-Suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, and Temperance, and have no more to say of them than with the great Apostle that mentioned them in this Order, Against such there is no Law. A Reproof thus managed can't justly be excepted against. Such a Reproof is a true Friendly Reproof, if any Reproof can deserve the Name of Friendly. Is a Friend qualified with these Virtues? He need not fear but he will reprove his Friend with Success and little Offence. And if his kind Aim should meet with a Frustration, 'tis the reproved Person's Fault, not the Reprover's.  
As for those, who though they are utterly, or for the most part destitute of 'em, will be reproving, they had as good lecture to the Winds. Indeed thorough-paced Christians, whose extraordinary Prudence and eminent Advances in Piety enable 'em to turn Calumnies and Curses into Blessings, may be the better for such sinister Reproofs and Reprovers, but they may thank themselves, not their Reprovers for it. Ordinarily speaking, Reproof is more or lesle Successful, according as those who offer it do administer it, and are more or lesle spiritually prepared.  
After so much has been said concerning the Qualifications of a Friendly Reprover, the Reader may admire that I have not spoke (except it be occasionally) concerning Prudence, which is generally accounted, as in reality it is, one of the principal Ornaments of a Friendly Reprover: To abate the Reader's Surprise for this Oversight, I desire him to consider, 1. That to speak largely of Prudence in general would take up too much compass in this little Tract, and, besides, 'twill be more conveniently done in a particular Discourse about Counsel. And than, 2. That Prudence considered abstractly, as the Qualification of a Friendly Reprover, 'tis the natural Result or Offspring of all those Qualifications which I have already insisted on: They are all of them, as it were, means tending to this End: For first, does not Religious Prudence consist in the Choice of some Divine End and Undertaking, and in prosecuting any Undertaking of that Nature knowingly, upon good Principles, by wise Rules, with Wariness, Vigour and Constancy? Now (to look back a little while) Does not Spiritual Love make the Restitution and Renovation of the Divine Image in our Brother, the End of our Reproof, and a Desire of being in God's Favour, and being more and more assimilated to the Source of Charity and Blessedness, the Principle of our Reproof? Does not Spiritual Joy clear it from the Ignominy of being taken for Counterfeit and Spurious? Does not Peace give the Reprover a becoming Majesty, and propose a sure Canon to walk by, as to the Matter of our Reproof? Does not Faith make us humble, full of pious Assurance and Satisfaction? Does not Meekness and Temperance always preserve our Minds on their Guard, and so make them capable of forming sit Stratagems, and of sufficient Strength to encounter with our Friend's Infirmities? Do not these Virtues show the fittest Seasons and Methods of handling a Friend after a late Lapse? Lastly, Do not Gentleness, Goodness and Long-Suffering enable us to be patiented and unwearied in this sort of Welldoing? For who can be so foolish as to suffer all his Kindness in other Respects, to putrify and be lost, only for want of Repeating one Part of the Beneficence? especially with a very little Consideration, he may sufficiently satisfy himself that this will mightily enhanse the Value and Dignity of all his other Assistances. But, secondly, the Consideration of the Nature of Friendly Reproof has furnished us with many useful Rules for the dextrous Application of Friendly Reproof; now a dextrous Reprover is a prudent Reprover, and I do not question that if those Rules (which by way of Consequence have been interspersed in this Chapter be conscientiously observed) but the meanest Christian may have Prudence enough to reprove his Friend. But the I speak thus, I am very sensible that there have been many Rules given besides these; nay, indeed, some which run full but against them: But 'twas for want of distinguishing between those Places in which the Scriptures speak of Admonition, or Casual, or Episcopal, or other sorts of Reproof (which must be known by tracing the Connection that the Places usually cited have with the Context) and others that peculiarly respect Friendly Reproof. Wherhfore, since the careful Use of this Distinction will serve for a general Answer to all that oppose me herein, I shall not swell the Chapter with a particular insistence on every contrary Direction: For the same Reason I do not think it necessary to beg the World Pardon for not Transcribing all those Texts which Concordances and Systems have in considerately piled together. Thirdly, I desire it may be considered that these are the Qualifications which S. Paul has particularly assigned. And I hope we need not doubt but that God will bless those Means which he himself has instituted: Can we have a better Guide than the Blessed Spirit? Prudence as well as Courage are his Gifts: Those that bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit are under his peculiar Conduct and Tuition, and are the Objects of his extraordinary Bounty (I mean a greater Measure of his ordinary Gifts) and therefore have no reason to dread a Want of true and real Prudence; for the Nature of true prudence cannot be enquired after to any purpose among the Crowd, who make every Sense a Pythagoras, and swear an implicit Faith to them, but in God's Word and our Closets, where the Divine Spirit confers with pure Souls. When all is done, the Race is not to the Swift, 'tis God that must make us Successful in the Administration of Reproof as well as other Affairs; and if we follow the Methods which he has prescribed, we may cheerfully rest on the great Disposer of all Events: He that lives well and loves much is most likely to reprove best.    

CHAP. V Detecting the Vanity of those several Excuses which have been framed for the Omission of Friendly Reproof.  
BY this Time I hope we may bring those who neglect this Duty to the Bar, and be able to see through those Cobweb-Excuses that Men usually bring for their not reproveing their Friends.  
And first, Men in vain ask, Am I my Brother's Keeper? Will not every Man bear his own Burden? 'Tis well if I can preserve my own Soul with all my Care and Diligence: Truly, I found that difficult enough. Experience has clearly verified to me those Words of our blessed Lord, Strait is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life. There is no need for me to be bound for others: For does it follow, that because you dare not undertake to fit and dress another Man's Soul for Eternal Salvation in another World, you may not lawfully contribute all you can to the fitting of him for it? Will the doing another a good turn, when you have a fair Opportunity, increase the Difficulty of your Preparation for Heaven? Is not doing your Duty to God and Man one part of that Preparation? How than, since Friendly Reproof is both a Natural and Christian Duty, can the Performance of it in due Season be a Hindrance in your Preparation for Heaven? Reproving our Friend agrees with the Golden Rule of Jesus, the Law and the Prophets; Whatsoever you would that Men should do unto you, that do unto them, for this is the Will of your Heavenly Father. Any wise Man and knowing Christian must acknowledge that he would have his Friend reprove him when he commits a visible Fault: Why than should he think much to reprove his Friend? Alas! Men fond imagine, That if they avoid Commissions, that is sufficient to save 'em; but I must plainly tell 'em that gross Omissions are not good Preparations for Heaven, for he that does not what God commands him to do, disobeys God's Commands as well as he who does what God forbids him. In short, any Man in Misery would be relieved. Charity is Justice among Christians, and without it we must never expect to set one Foot in the Kingdom of Heaven.  
In vain, secondly, Men pretend, if they should reprove every one whom they see commit Faults, they should have so much Work to do as to have no Time to follow their Calling, for if they mind their Business closely they can't see so many Faults in others. All Sins should be unpleasant to their Eyes. They are so far from being enjoined by their Duty to reprove, that they aught to scorn, to make a Business or a Recreation of hunting after Matter of Reproof. Besides, it has been shown, That Providence expects us very rarely to reprove any but our Friends and Intimates, and I hope that which seldom happens will not take up a Man's whole Time. Is your Friend not more to you than any Body? No Man of Principles will think his Friend not worth his troubling his Head about. Since 'tis inconsistent with any but the Pragmatical to reprove all Offenders whom we know to be such, we aught to reprove our Friends the more constantly. Our Beneficence is confined to a few Objects, which few should be our Friends. Reproving than can't devour much time. There are none so hurried with Business but they will allow themselves Times of Relaxation. Now, at these times we are with our Friends: The being in their Company often refreshes and whets our Appetite to Business again: It renews and invigorates our Faculties with fresh Vigour and Briskness for the Employments of our Calling; and when Friends are together how can they lay out their Conversation better than in filing and burnishing one another's Lives? If our Business will not permit us to secure our everlasting Salvation, we had as good, nay better, be cast, with a Millstone about our Necks, into the Sea, as to mind it: Such Business is as bad or worse than Idleness.  
In vain, thirdly, Men urge our Saviour's and S. Paul's, forbidding us to judge one another, against giving Reproof; for we must not suppose that God has forbidden any thing in those Texts which he hath commanded in others. We aught not to judge Man's Hearts, but we may and aught to judge of the different Natures of Human Actions, for we are not to call Good Evil, nor Evil Good, and those that are visibly Evil may be judged and reproved in our Friends, without invading God's Right. We can't pass a final and sixth Sentence upon the State of any Man's Soul, for he stands or falls before the universal Sovereign of the World; but we may pass a Sentence on some of his particular Actions, to prevent his Falling before his Lord This is Charity, whereas the other is Uncharitableness, which makes a very wide Difference between 'em. Moreover, we have answered this Objection sufficiently, because we have already directed you very largely how to distinguish Reproof from Censoriousness; and one Rule given concerning applying Reproof was not to reprove for indifferent Matters, but only for those visible Actions which we can make out to be Faults by any Part of God's Word.  
In vain, fourthly, say some, 'Tis the Magistrate's Business to reprove: For though the Magistrate must reprove for the more heinous Breaches of the Law, for the Safety of Government; yet it is a Friend's Province to put a Stop to ill Customs betimes, that his Friend may not by degrees become such a scandalous Offender as to deserve the Reproof of the Magistrate.  
In vain, fifthly, some tell us, it goes against me to reprove, I am too good-natured to reprove my Friend often, because I can't but be an Instrument of uneasiness to him, and a burdensome Companion by so doing: For 'tis not the causing an Uneasiness to our Carnal Dispositions, that will mantle our Neglect of a positive Duty. Without doubt, if Friends reprove one another for little or no Cause, such as innocent Freedoms, Festivities and Infirmities that are so inseparable to Human Nature in this State, and therefore can't properly be called wilful, they will avoidable reprove too often, and with great Offence, for 'tis a great Trial of a Man's Patience to be perpetually chid for what he cannot avoid. Avoidable Infirmities only are the Subjects of Reproof. But if a Friend can't safely reprove for such lesser Freedoms, their Case is very pitiable who think they may lawfully censure good Men, that are Strangers to 'em, for such Infirmities more than these good Men censure them, notwithstanding their lose and licentious Lives. And 'tis worth observing, That if Friends reprove for none but real and unavoidable Faults, that 'tis charitably to be hoped that there will not be such numerous Occasions of Reproof among Friends, who are so conscientious as to give and receive Reproof, and if there should be, this uneasiness will diminish and wear away by degrees, with occasions of Reproof, through the Delight which its being an Instrument of a correct Life will procure: for frequent Reproof is the way to weary a Friend out of his Faults, and so Friends prevent, by this means, the trouble of frequently receiving and giving Reproof, and the Sin not only of positively, but even so much as negatively flattering one another. Whether you reprove your Friend or not, uneasiness for his Sins must be felt some time or other, to keep him from flaming for ever in Hell. If he will be comforted he must mourn for his Sins, Blessed are they that mourn thus, for their Tears make Angels rejoice, and they shall rejoice themselves to all Eternity. So that by creating or exaggerating this wholesome uneasiness you do him a great and unspeakable Kindness: You should not fear your Friend's present Displeasure more than his Eternal Ruin. That dastardly, cereous Temper, which is the Cause of Man's not reproving one another, is falsely called good Nature; 'tis a judicious Kindness only that can deserve that Name. He that is good-natured in the first Sense does but consult his Ease and fleshly Interest, has not a regard to Futurity: All that he cares for is to please and benefit his Friend in those Cases which are sufficient to uphold a worldly Correspondence and Dearness: He has no Divine Sensation nor Principle of Divine Life in him, for if he had he would know, that reproving one another here, however uneasy it is for the present, is a part of Discipline to admit us into the state of eternal Gratulation. In short, 'tis uneasy to every good Man to reprove his Friend; 'tis his hearty Wish, that there were no need of Reproving; but he considers, that this is a state of Trial and Lability, and therefore contentedly submits to God and obeys him, since he has enjoined him to reprove, though it interrupt the Ease of his Mind here; and he that will not do his Friend a good Office but when it may be done without the lest Trouble, does but very cheap Kindnesses, and so cheapens and undervalues his Friendship.  
In vain, sixthly, you pretend that you do not reprove because your Reproof is not successful, and is very much abused and misnamed, for Man's Errors and Wickednesses will not satisfy for your Neglects. Discharge your Duty, reprove whom and as you aught to do, and be constant in well-doing and your Charity is the greater, and therefore will found the greater Recompense, because it is indefatigable, and you suffer for it. Obedience to God's Commands is sure of a Reward, which should be a sufficient Motive to the true Disciples of Christ. But we have no Promise that every Reproof shall be blessed with Success upon the reproved, and therefore our Saviour, when he commanded us, If a Man shall trespass, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone, adds, If he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy Brother; as if he had said, This is a very likely way to gain thy Brother, perhaps thou mayest gain thy Brother. The Rule is certainly good, but the Success is uncertain.  
In vain, seventhly, says another, my Friend commits many Faults which I know nothing of; how than shall I reprove him for them? How indeed? This is a foolish Question certainly, for because you are not bound to reprove for those Faults which you know nothing of, therefore you will not reprove him for those that you do know of. Good Christian, learn to be ashamed of such idle Sophistry; reprove him for his visible Faults, and your Duty is done. God does not require us, to do what 'tis impossible for us to do. Others may perhaps be apt to say, as vainly, we have too many Faults of our own to reprove others. I ask those why they don't take care to have fewer. Again, all Man's having Faults proves Friendly Reproof the more strongly to be a Friendly and Social Duty.  
But lastly, many may complain, That they are not prequalified to reprove with Prudence, and the like. Either these People who say they are not prequalified, are prequalified, or they are not prequalified. If they are prequalified, they tell a gross Lie: If they are not, they are not good Christians: For all the forementioned Qualifications are as necessary to form a good Christian as they are to make a Man a good Reprover. Man's not loving God above all things, immoderate Love of the Creatures, want of Spiritual Joy, Peace, Long-Suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Habitual and Actual Meekness, and the like, proceeds from a mere formal Profession of Christianity; and since all Christians are capable of these Virtues, unless they deck their Souls with 'em as soon as possible they can, this Excuse will not only be rejected as frivolous at the last Day, but as more inexcusable than even that Neglect of the Duty for which they apologise with it.  
There are many other Excuses of the like Nature, which if I should stand to answer particularly, would distend this Chapter to too great a Bulk, and may be easily answered by a close Attention to those Principles which have run through this Discourse, and by which I presume I have sufficiently refuted the forementioned ones: For which Reason, I think it would be an unpardonable Abuse of good Man's Candour and Patience, and a too culpable Compliance with the affected Perverseness of those wicked Christians, who in Truth have no Inclination to promote the good of Souls, to crowd 'em into this little Book.  
Search your Hearts therefore, Christians, penetrate 'em to the Core, and see whether or not your true Reasons are not all, or some of these, unconcernedness to obey the Divine Commands, Dread of the Disgrace, or Shame of a Repulse, want of Zeal for God and Virtue, or want of judicious Love for Souls and your Friends, or an Approbation of your Friends Sins, and an unwillingness to set them an Example, to disturb your quiet Enjoyment of some darling Sins, which you yourselves actually are (and which is worse) too likely to be impenitently guilty of till you drop through the Grave into everlasting Torments.   

CHAP. VI Proposing some Motives for the Encouragement of the frequent Exercise of Friendly Reproof.  
HAving detected the Emptiness of those Excuses which have been framed for the Epidemical Neglect of Friendly Reproof, I proceed now earnestly to exhort you to throw away all foolish Pretences for the future, and to resolve to reprove your Friends as becomes Christians. Which that you may do, I beseech you,  
I Consider, first, you obey one of Christ's Commands when you reprove, which will be matter of Peace and Satisfaction to the Conscience, whatever the Issue of it be here. And,  
II Consider, secondly, by omitting to reprove your Friend you disobey an express Command, and by not reproving him for some Faults, you would have heaped to yourself Treasures of Wrath, even though you had been but an Heathen: Of which sort are all Transgressions against the Light of Nature: How horrible must this Neglect than be in a Christian?  
III Consider, thirdly, what an excellent Duty 'tis: 'Tis an Act of Charity to the Soul, and thereby an Act of Charity inclusively to the whole Man, which is an Essence of an Immortal Nature, capable of Eternal Happiness or Eternal Misery, an Essence for which Jesus himself shed his Blood to redeem it from Sin; to destroy which, in this Essence, is the Aim of Reproof, that it may be delivered from that Eternal Misery and Vengeance into which Sin precipitates all its Slaves. Oh! How must it transport you to see Souls triumphing in Angelical Glory, who, for aught you know had never come thither had not God's Providence done you the Honour to have used you as an Instrument in his Hand of their Conversion and Glorification pursuant thereto.  
IV. Consider, fourthly, on the other hand, what Horror the Eternal Damnation of your impenitent Familiars must needs excite in you: Familiars, with whom you have committed many Sins, and whom perhaps you first betrayed into a sinful Course of Life, but never reprov d 'em for it or begged their Pardon for showing yourself so much an Enemy to 'em, by deluding them when they took you for a true and real Friend: Familiars, who, for aught you know, had never plunged themselves into that miserable Condition, if you had but piously husbanded the Advantage of your supposed Friendship, which would have introduced your Reproof with much Interest and Authority into their Breasts.  
V Consider, fifthly, how impossible it is to quit the Friend without promoting your Friend's good as much as you can, and consequently without reproving him sometimes, since the best Person sometimes wants Reproof, and none but bad Men, who are incapable of true Friendship, can want Ability and suitable Endowments to reprove. Will you be a Traitor? Will you be ungrateful to him who is a Benefactor continually to you?  
VI Consider, sixthly, what a beautiful Act of Charity Christian Friendly Reproof is, if it be well managed, and every Christian may manage it well, by God's Help, if he william. In this Act almost all the Human Passions are in Agitation, and every one of these Passions exerted on its proper Object, and kept within its due Bounds: For 'tis compounded of Grief for our Friend's Sin, Anger with the Sinner, kindled by a just Hatred of the Sin, and that overawed and disciplined by a peculiar Love for his Person, Joy for the Discovery of the Sin, since it is befallen him, and there is no possibility of unsinning any Sin, and we have hereby an Opportunity to heal him, Fear of his Ruin, governed by a comfortable Hope that he will recover: In short, the whole Chorus of Human Passions is made unanimous and virtuous by their every one of them taking up that space, and being intended on that Object which the Decree of God and Primitive Nature has marked out for 'em.  
VII. Consider, seventhly, of what a noble Stock of Virtues 'tis descended. A fixed and exalted Love of God, Complacency in all excellent Examples, Charity to the whole Creation, regulated Passions, and unwearied Longanimity, Universal Usefulness, a peculiar Condescension, a canonical Temperance, Meckness, Magnanimity, and a constant Peaceableness of Behaviour, are all, as it were so many necessary Materials to build this one beautiful Fabric.  
VIII. Consider, eighthly, what a splendid Train of Blessings are the Equipage and Attendance of it; for by giving Friendly Reproof we tie ourselves the faster to a constancy of regular Demeanour and Christian Circumspection for the Sake of the Success of our Reproof: We engage those whom we reprove, in Gratitude and by way of Debt, to be watchful over us for our good, in the same manner. We endear our Souls to God's Blessing upon our Spiritual Attempts and Protection against all our Spiritual Enemies: We bespeak a greater Measure of his Grace to adorn and strengthen them with all the Virtues and ordinary Gifts of the Holy Ghost, and admit ourselves the peculiar Pupils of that excellent Tutor, to guide us in the sure way to Heaven.  
IX. Consider, ninthly, that we hereby make our Names precious to the public Body, of which we are Members, both Ecclesiastical and Civil, because Friendly Reproof tends to make the reproved, make both a quicker and richer Improvement under the Minister's Reproof, and prevents him from running into those Crimes which are the Subjects of the Magistrate's Reproof, as may be observed in our Saviour's Directions concerning our giving Reproof, and the Order and Gradations of it. If thy brother, says our blessed Lord, shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault, between him and thee alone; if he shall hear thee thou hast gained thy brother: But if he will not hear thee, than take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three Witnesses every word may be established: And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church; but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee at an heathen man or a publican, Matth. 18.15. So that we may see we hereby do some Service to our Country, by making our Friend a more useful Member of the Commonwealth, the holy Catholic and his National Church. The better Christian we make our Friend, the better he will be in all Relations and Conditions of Life.  
X. Consider, tenthly, we lay up in store for ourselves many Gratitude's in Heaven, from our Friends; who will than be forced with Joy and Exaltation to declare, That a calm and prudent Reproof is the richest Present we can make to a Friend here on Earth.  
Certainly all these Blessings crowning your Magnanimity and Spiritual Love, will recompense the Luxations of your Friend's Affection here, upon the account of your reproving him for his good, which aught always to be preferred before his transient Smiles, that may be purchased by sordid Flatteries, which are very cheap and vile Gratifications: Especially if we consider,  
XI. Eleventhly, That the ever-blessed Spirit of God sets us an Example every Day upon our own Minds, an Example of a silent but powerful Reproof: He sets all our Sins in order before us, and reproves us for those which are invisible to the Eyes of others, so that he is in Example of Constancy in this Duty to us. Neither need you wonder at this, if you can be prevailed on to consider,  
Lastly, That there is no room for Reproof in the other World. All of us there shall be either in a State of perfect Bliss, or a State of Eternal and perfect Misery. If our Friends are in the number of the Happy above, they will be above the need of the Assistance of Reproof: If they are condemned to everlasting Misery, no Reproof will do 'em any good, for there is no Redemption out of Hell. Consider therefore once more, I beseech you, of what has been said, whilst Consideration can be useful.   

CHAP. VII. An instructive Address to Reproved People, concerning a grateful Improvement of Friendly Reproof.  
HItherto I have been speaking concerning giving Reproof, 'tis high Time now to pass from the Reprover and visit the Reproved, in order to speak something concerning the due receiving Reproof. And here every one is apt to say, 'Tis better to give than to receive: Which universal Humour of corrupt Mankind makes it seasonable to writ a Word or two to assuage Man's Uneasiness when they are reproved. An Uneasiness becomes 'em, but this Uneasiness must be steered and mitigated by Reason: It must not be immoderate. If we are reproved undeserv'dly, we aught to make our Defence modestly, and fill thank the Reprover for his Good William. Now those who don't regulate and bond their Uneasiness when they are reproved, whether justly or unjustly, would do well to consider that immoderate Fretfulness under a well-managed Reproof, must proceed from either a scornful haughty Temper, or an habitual Brutishness of Soul. Men would feign have others think that they are wholly free from Pollution and Gild, and not Sinners like their Neighbours the Publicans; which unequal Justification of themselves makes them carry themselves frowardly to those who inspect their Carriage for their good, and apt to think that they are above the Assistance of their Fellow-Creatures. But does not such Pride provoke God, who is jealous of his Honour, and will not bear being vied with by any of his silly Creatures? Unity and Independence are incommunicable Perfections in God. We don't stand and fall by our own Sentence: It is not forward and lofty Thoughts of our own Dignity that will bribe or scare God into a false Judgement and Preference of us before all Mankind. Neither will our swollen Imagination bias and oblige other Men into a Conspiracy against the Truth. They know that we are Men, and Branches of the same corrupt Stem with themselves, since they see us sin as well as themselves. They will not trouble themselves to ask us whether we are Sinners or not, when we palpably offend under their Eyes. Not only the great God, but even weak infirm Man is not to be mocked in this case. So that proud Rejection of Reproof is as unlikely to procure Reputation with Men as it is to obtain the Favour of God. Consider, I entreat you, that though your Reprover had never told you of your Fault, he would have known it, and might have made it a Subject of Public Merriment and Derision among your Flatterers and Enemies, instead of reproving you kindly and privately, that you may repair the Loss of your Reputation by your future strictness. In short, by your indecent Pride and Rage you discover yourself more and more what you most industriously avoid to seem. For no Man, doubtless is the lesle a Sinner for being obstinately such. Brutish Carriage is but an ill Stratagem to fish for Esteem with.  
But nothing, secondly, can be a greater sign of Brutishness than scornful and untoward Be 〈…〉 so a Friendly Reprover. For consider, what foul Ingratitude it is to resist such a beautiful Act of Love, and to affronted a true Friend for showing himself friendly, when so few now will show themselves such in this Respect. Alas! he could easily have enjoyed your Smiles by a lazy Silence that flatters Sense; but being a true Friend he cannot, like Flatterers, enjoy himself, or relish your Smiles with any Delight, whilst Smiles are not seasonable, and you are in the high Road to Eternal Destruction. Scorners of Reproof show themselves brutish, because they don't behave themselves like Creatures capable of Consideration; for if they did consider, they would show themselves Men, that know Sin to be the greatest Evil, because it is opposite to the supreme Good, and therefore would know that their Deliverance from that is the greatest Deliverance. These are the Thoughts and Sentiments which will not suffer Men to kick at the Hand that offers to help 'em out of the Gulf of Sin, which leads to Eternal Damnation. Considerate Men know that it is good for them to be corrected and reproved in time, that they may not still go on astray, and so be condemned for ever. They will kiss the Rod before God in justice turn it into a Serpent, and make that which should have melted, an Instrument of hardening their Hearts. The greatest Mercies, if they are abused, will prove the greatest Judgements. A lasting Unsuccessfulness under Friendly Reproofs gives a Friend such a great occasion of dissolving his friendship, that if your Friend has a true Notion of Christian Friendship (as doubtless one who reproves his Friend with a Christian Spirit has) he must think it his Duty to discipline you after many Reproofs have been, in vain, by professedly cancelling all particular concern for you: Long-Suffering has its proper Limits, and when 'tis trampled on, will provoke him that has it not, to throw Pearls before Swine only to be trod under Foot. Stubbornness must be cured by suitable Severity. 'Tis true, a Consciousness of good Intention props up a Man's Spirit, after his Kindness has been very much abused: He has done his Part, and may expect his Reward. Nevertheless, since we are confined to no particular Person, though Friendship must be exercised with some, a Man may reasonably, especially when he has been very patiented, seek out a Friend who is more worthy of his special Care and Respect. Success in God's Eye is Satisfactory alone; but Success upon the Reproved also is very desirable, and is necessary to heighten our Alacrity, if we can found a Heart that is malleable to Reproof, receives it kindly, and makes the Reproof fructify in the Reproved. One would not willingly be always wasting Seed a barren Soil, a perverse Intimate, who when he should obey the first Call to Repentance, slights Call upon Call, and baffles Reproof after Reproof, till every Fault is grown to that strong Head, that he is as hard to be converted as that Wretch was to be dispossessed, who was besieged with a Legion of Devils. True, our Reproofs clear us from the Imputation of a perverse Friend's Blood; but to see it spilt whilst he is our Friend, creates much Trouble. When a Friend for a long time has refused to receive Reproof as he aught, we are exempted from our Obligation to reprove him as a Friend, because by his Unfriendliness he has made our Tie to such a near Correspondence with him, void. Such an one shows such Signs of the dereliction of God's Spirit, that all we have to do, till he mends, is to bespeak with strong Prayers and Agonies some awakening Affliction, which is a Divine Reproof, since Human Reproof proves so weak. But in this last we must not too hastily rescind our Contract: this Sentence, it must be remembered, must be passed with much struggling, and after Charity has had its perfect Work. Wherhfore, as you dread falling into one of the most execrable Conditions that you are liable to here, for such your justifiably being deserted by a faithful Friend, is, I desire you to make the fastest Improvement that you can under every Reproof: Consider that your Friend is your adopted Father: What your Father was to you in your Youth, he is now: Now a wise Son is better for Correction. It must be confessed that all Sins can't be conquered quickly, but yet they may be conquered after more or lesle Tract of Time: And you must carefully beware of Mocking yourself into a Toleration of Sin in you, and a neglect of fit and requisite Repentance, by a frequent and formal Use of this Pretext. Beware of resolving to justify yourself in an ill Matter; love Truth, though she condemn you for the present, jest you be condemned eternally. Accustom yourself to examine the Justice of every Reproof, because that is the way to imprint every just Reproof the deeper in your Mind, and so will be a means of making it more conducive to your Manners, by exhibiting the reasonableness of it the clearer to you; for mild Reception of Reproof without that, though 'tis far better than ungrateful turning it from you, will not answer the proper End of Reproof, viz. the Purification of our Hearts, and the Amendment of our Lives. Another Art of curing this rise Inclination to Untractableness under Reproof, is the Reprov'd's transferring the Indictment to a third Person: Thus Selfishness may be removed and the Ugliness of the Act will appear the plainer, and by consequence the Reasonableness of the Reproof will exert itself also with the more Advantage. The Truth of this may be evinced by what David said to Nathan's Parable, whereby he made way for a successful Application of his Reproof. The last Method that is proper to be used in order to make us grateful when reproved, is Prayer to God for a meek and hearing Heart, and the agreeing upon some particular Times of giving and receiving Reproof mutually for known Faults, and confessing secret Faults to one another: For solemn Seasons make the Mind considerate, and presuppose a good Resolution, whatever Defect there may be in our natural Temper. Repetition of such Exercise will make it habitual and easy, as easy I mean as Acts of that Nature can and aught to be; for Stupidness under Reproof is far from being commendable. It must be confessed that there is an Uneasiness which shoots out of a sharp Sense of the mischievous Familiarity of Sin with the Soul, which cannot laudably be escaped. It becomes us to examine the Justice of the Reproof, that by fixing our Thoughts the more intently upon it, if it be just, our Compunction may be the severer; and if it be not just, the Consideration of the great Kindness it would have done us, supposing it had been just, may be so far from rendering us ungrateful, as to make us the more thankful to the Reprover; and though it become him to have reproved upon juster Grounds, yet the lesle nicely the Reproved weighs the Qualifications of the Reprover, the more wise and virtuous will he be made by every Reproof Wherhfore you see that the foremention'd laudable Uneasinness will not evaporate into stubborn Defiance of Brotherly Discipline: Not, it will rather incline you to comply with the Request I am just now going to make.  
When your Friend justly reproves you, look on him at that instant as the peculiar Messenger of God, and under God the Tutor of your dear Soul. Open your Ears, humble your Heart, and bow your Neck to his Reproof. Freely acknowledge your Fault, and your Obligation to him for forwarding your Repentance, by minding you of it, and beg of him meekly to pray for your Improvement of so great a Mercy. Note it in your Diary, and thank God for the Warning, beseeching him to reward your Friend for his Charity.  
This is the way to be truly grateful to God and your Friend, to have a Soul always thriving in Virtue, and making every Day nearer and nearer Advances to Perfection, to have a faithful Friend constantly by your Side, and a gracious God always at Hand to bless and secure you. This is the way to obtain true Peace, and to instill a Reverence of your own Reproofs into others; which Honour can never be their Lot who entertain and requited their Friend's Reproofs with nothing but gloomy Looks and shappish Replies.  
Indeed Meekness, under truly Christian Reproof, is so seasonable and lovely a Virtue, that I cannot but advice every Christian, as I have briefly already, though he be reproved unseasonably and indecently, not to give way to Fury and Indignation. Patiently bearing with the Infirmities and Indiscretion of the Reprover, is a lively Draught of the Christian Spirit, and will make every one admire that beholds. Nevertheless, when you thank such a Reprover for his goodwill, you would do well to advice him at the same Time to observe Season and Moderation in applying his Reproof for the time to come, jest his Indecencies scandalise weak People, to deter them from this excellent Duty. To be brief, Meekness, under the slanderous Tongue is the noblest Triumph and most creditable Vindication of our Innocence, and therefore it can't but befit a Christian when he is reproved by his Friend.  
One more Memento may be of great Use. Be sure to take heed of quenching the Spirit. Don't struggle with, don't go to foil the Reproofs of Conscience, which convinces of Sin, and accuses us impartially of all Faults. This tremendous Friend is about our Beds, and spies out all our Ways. Our Thoughts can found no Shelter from its Eye. Learn to tremble at God's Word, and those Threats which he pronounces by his Ministers against all Sin. Honour his Ministers for the sake of their Work and Message. Don't despise God in them, for he that despises the Reproof of God can't be fruitful under the Reproof of Men. 'Tis our Respect to those inward Convictions which God forms in our Minds, when we read his Law, and hear the Ministers of Jesus Christ, which makes our Souls truly hospitable to the loving Accusations of our Brethrens. Be sure to search your Heart and humble yourself in the Day of Affliction, for Afflictions are the Reproofs of God, who charges even his Angels themselves with Folly, and therefore, without Doubt, there's no Man that is afflicted but has some Sin which God designs to cure in afflicting him. This, my Friends, is a great Truth, for how, as Job speaks, c. 9 v. 2. should man be just with God? If he contends with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand: He is wise in Heart and mighty in Strength. Who has hardened himself against him and has prospered? Who removes Mountains and they know not, who overturns them in his Anger, who shakes the Earth out of her Place, and the Pillars thereof tremble, who commands the Sun and it riseth not, and sealeth up the Stars. Devil upon this Majestic Description of God to us, but a very imperfect one, if considered with relation to his incomprehensible Excellencies and Perfections, that you may revere and make the best Advantage of his kind and paternal Reproofs. And than read on again, u 8. Who alone spreads out the heavens, and treads upon the waves of the sea; who makes Arcturus, Orion and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south; who does great things passed finding out, and wonders without number. Lo● he goes by us, and we see him not: He passes on also and we perceive him not: He takes away, who can hinder him? Who will say unto him, What dost thou? If God will not withdraw his anger, even the proud helpers must stoop under him: How much lesle shall the humble Christian, who owns God just in all his ways, and that Pride was not made for Man; who was at first a Clod of Earth, and came a Mass of Corruption into the World, answer God and study a Controversy with him, whom, though we were declared Righteous by our own Hearts, and in the Judgement of our Neighbours, yet we should not contradict? For God is greater than our Hearts. Supplication better becomes us before our Judge, our Allseeing Judge: For he is not a Man, that we should set a Time to pled with him. 'Tis vain and impious to justify ourselves before God. Humble yourselves therefore all ye that are afflicted, that he may lift up your Souls in due time. I shall conclude this Chapter with some excellent Passages out of the Son of Sirach. There is a Reproof that is not comely. Again, Some man holds his tongue, and he is wise. 'Tis much better to Reprove than to be angry secretly; and he that confesseth his fault shall be preserved from hurt. How good is it when thou art reproved, to show repentance? He that hates to be reproved is in the way of sinners, but he that fears the Lord will repent from his heart. A stubborn heart shall far evil at the last, and he that loves danger shall perish therein. An obstinate heart shall be laden with sorrows, and the wicked man shall heap sin upon sin. In the punishment of the proud there is no remedy, for the plant of wickedness has taken root in him. The Advice is very plain, and need not be enlarged on, since I hope you will be so wise as to enlarge on them in your own Hearts.   

CHAP. VIII. Containing some practical Inferences drawn from the preceding Chapters.  
ENough, I hope, has been said concerning the Usefulness of giving and receiving Reproof meekly: But since it is so useful we may learn,  
1. First, That Fraternal, Private and Particular Confession of Sins is very beneficial; for since Reproving for visible Sins is of such great Use to the Soul, and we are conscious of many Sins which are invisible to our Friend, and for which, upon that account, he cannot reprove us; the obliging ourselves to a Custom of mutually confessing all our known Faults will give Friends an Opportunity of Reproving and being Reproved for them too; whereby among other ordinary or extraordinary Helps, we have this Amulet of Reproof against all our Sins that are either discoverable by our private Reflection or our Friend's Inspection. But this is not a Place to insist at large upon this excellent Duty.  
2. Secondly, We hence learn that we aught to repent of our past Neglectfulness of those with whom we professed Friendship, I mean our not reproving 'em in due Season, as also of that peevishness under Rebuke, by which we have frequently discouraged our Friends from reproving us; for since the said Neglect of Reproving, and the said peevishness when we are Reproved, have been demonstrated to be of a malignant Nature, they aught to be repent of, since 'tis our Duty to repent of all our known Sins.  
3. Thirdly, We hence learn to abhor all Flattery, that great Enemy and Opposite of Friendly Reproof, which, like the Music of the Sirens, forebodes Shipwreck to all their Souls who listen to it, and are entoxicated with it from others, or deceive and injure others with it themselves. We hence learn not to trust the gaudy Promises of the World, the Flesh and the Devil, and to love and prise our Friend's Favour not farther than he acts as is consistent with the Favour of God, who is every Man's chief and best Friend, for he is the Friend of the whole Universe. The Earth is the Lords and all that therein is. The Earth is full of the Goodness of the Lord  
4. Fourthly, We hence learn the dreadful Danger of irreligious Sociableness; for since not reproving a Friend for a Fault, if it be habitual and unrepented of, is such a great Sin, than certainly to be Confederate with Sinners, to partake directly of other Man's Sins, by tempting them to commit 'em, patronising them, or the Committers of them, or any other Methods of the like nature, must he very dreadful indeed, and aught always to be avoided by you, as you tremble at the Apprehensions of being thrown into the hottest Regions of Hell.  
5. We hence learn, Fifthly, To compute our Friends, to know who are our true and who are our false Friends. 'Tis but ask one Question; Do they use to reprove me, or do they not? Do they cocker me in my Sins, or do they strive by Reprehension to deliver me from the Dominion of Sin?  
6. Sixthly, We hence learn, that 'tis our Prudence to strike Friendship with those who sincerely, as far as we are able to judge, endeavour to lead a virtuous Life, and to keep a Conscience voided of Offence, both towards God and towards Man, and to walk in all the Ordinances of Christ blameless; those, in short, who will consent that it shall be one Article in the Contract, constantly and mutually to reprove one another for the Faults which either in the other may discern, and that this Article may be the better kept, 'twill be prudence to choose one who lives near you, and can have a frequent Eye on your Behaviour. Moreover,  
7. Seven, because ill Inclinations and Habits are quite opposite to one another (for Vice is a medley of Contradiction, whereas all Graces compose one beautiful Harmony in the Soul) 'tis adviseable to choose one for your Friend, whose darling Corruption is opposite to your own, because he has not any Fondness for the Sins which most easily beset you, which will make him reprove you the more constantly: And you too, for the same Reason, the faithfuller on your part. When two Extremes lovingly encounter, the two Minds, which are apt to sink into these Extremes, will by degrees be polished into that golden Mediocricy, which is the Centre of all Virtue. All Men are naturally prove to be carried away without the Grace of God and their own Endeavours, by some particular ill Inclination.  
Thus some are apt to be too flexible, others of too stiff a Disposition; some are never angry and some are always so; some are aspiring, others dejested; some are too jealous, others are too careless. 'Twould be endless to instance in all. Now if we observe by the Tenor of a Man's Life, notwithstanding some of these particular ill Inclinations that he strives to live unblamably, we have no Reason to except any Man, when we would choose a Friend for the sake of any such particular ill Inclination. 'Tis an habitual Indulgence of Sin, not an ill original Inclination, which makes any Person unfit for Friendship; for the having some ill original Inclination is inevitable, though the being domineered over by it is avoidable by the Grace of Jesus Christ. If we defer our Choice of a Friend till we found a perfectly good Friend, we must stay till we are launched into the Ocean of Purity, the Kingdom of Heaven; and 'twill be too bold to promise' ourselves, that we should get thither, if we don't accept of the Advantage of but the imperfect Friendship of good Men in this State to advance us there, where we shall be above the need of particular Friendship. The best Rule that we can observe is, to choose those for our Friends, whom we observe to be the most industrious in their Preparations for Heaven, though we cannot any more than charitably hope that they are in a way to be prepared for Heaven. 'Tis a great Mistake to think that similitude of natural Temper is a Foundation of Christian Friendship. Such Man's Compliance and Complacency in one another's Tempers, I question not, will make their Friendship, such as it is, last long; but the Question is whether or not, since these Tempers are natural, and traduced from corrupt Parents, if we throughly inquire into 'em, they will betray us (if indulged too much) into Sin. If so, they must be rooted up, if we'll be true Christians, and consequently that durable Friendship rooted up with 'em too, which the Similitude of the Saints natural Tempers pitched in our Minds. Choose the good natured for your Friend, and avoid the Angry, is a common Maxim. And who are the good natured? Why, in proper Speech, those that are good by Nature, of which sort, since the Fall of Adam, it may be safely said, There was never yet one to be found. But good-natured, in the Lexicon of the Vulgar, denotes those that are easy and compliant, so immoderately compliant that rather than they will displease their Companions, though it is very agreeable to the Dictates both of Reason and Religion, for us to displease and contradict one another, Truth shall be betrayed and exploded, Black shall be voted White, and their Friends, though they sin never so heinously, shall always pass unreproved, Religion shall be ridiculed Scotfree, and what not? These good-natured People, with the Religious are Religious, and with the Irreligious can be as contentedly Irreligious. Now whether or not this sort of good nature (if I may be allowed to show myself an Example of it, by complying with the Erroneous Multitude in calling it so) be not a predominant Passion, which must be corrected, cultivated and moderated by our Endeavours, concurrent with the Spirit of God, who alone can make us Peaceable without being sinful, and which otherwise will be a very serviceable Tool in carrying on the Devil's Trade of Undoing Human Souls, let the unprejudiced judge. Solomon indeed says, Make not Friendship with an angry Man, but he does not advice us in those Words to contract Intimacy only with Men of a peculiar, branchy and compliant Nature; for he does not mean by angry there, one who is naturally inclined to be angry, but one who does not kerb, withstand and regulate a peculiarly vigorous Inclination to Anger; for if we should suppose the first, we must suppose a great part of Mankind excluded from all possibility of Friendship, since a great many are inclined to be immoderately, and too soon angry, which nevertheless may be good Christians, and therefore good Friends: For why may not the Grace of God cure that as well as other Inclinations? Nay, indeed, I need not have said a great Part of Mankind, for according to that Interpretation of the Word Angry, in Solomon, no Man is fit to be a Friend, since every Man is visibly inclined very ●●●●gly to some particular Extreme, though not to the Extreme of Anger; and thus we must exclude our good-natured People too: For never to resent, be the Occasion never so just, or the Consequences never so momentous, is as bad as to be continually resenting without Cause, out of Place, too long or too soon. Is there an Anger which tends to no good? Why, so there is a Bashfulness (if we may believe a very wise Man) a Silence, a sluggish, immoderate, irrational Compliance, that has trundled many Souls to Hell, and therefore tends to no good.  
To draw near to a Conclusion: 'Tis impossible to have Friends here, that are good by Nature or perfect by Grace; the best do but follow after Perfection here. Your best way than will be to deny yourself, by choosing one for your Friend whose Capital ill Inclination (be it that of Anger or Compliance, or any other) is contrary to yours, that is to say, provided, besides the Oppositeness of his original, involuntary Inclination, he has made a steady Resolution (which is but the adopted Inclination of the Religious) with yourself to strive against it, and to assist you to subdue your strongest ill Inclination: For this will show that you are ready to deny Self for the sake of Virtue, and that you are willing to cut of the excessive Inclination; which is the most deformed Protuberance of your Soul. Your Endeavour should be the same with your Friend's, to conquer all immoderate Inclinations to Extremes in one another; but it is most eligible that the peculiar and strongest Inclinations of both of you to some certain Extremes should not be the same, because your Danger will in all likelihood by this means be strengthened instead of being lessened. If the flexible associate mostly with the flexible, they will but make one another more credulous and apt to be deluded: If the Choleric are frequently with the Choleric, they will in all probability inflame one another's Passionateness: Melancholy People are not fit Company for the Melancholy, because they are not fit to carry on the general good Inclination of vanquishing all Extremes in one another. The Observation holds good in other Cases. Many Men had never been so sottish and knavish, so morose or circumducible, if they had had the Prudence not to have accompanied with those mostly whom they found strongly inclined by Nature to the same Extremes. But I shall have occasion to speak more largely of this in another Essay. Eadem velle & nolle firma amicitia est, as a certain Historian speaks: And Amantium irae amoris redintegratio est, to speak with the Comedian, are very excellent Sentences, and very reconcilable with one another: For 'tis true, that to have the same virtuous Resolutions which cannot contradict one another, is the Foundation of a firm and sound Friendship; and 'tis as true, that to let our Vices, which are opposite to one another, draw Blood from one another, is the way to dispatch the Traitors, and to bring you to that Place where your Friendship will be not longer athletic, but like the Union of the glorious Angels, will suffer no Interruption, and be too strong to be broken by the conjoynt Forces of Hell.   

CHAP. IX. The CONCLUSION. Exhorting Christians to a Conscientious Use of the whole Book.  
MY Discourse is now almost expired, all that is yet remaining is the Exhortatory Part: And since I have done my poor Endeavours, I hope, Christian Reader, I may without Offence humbly mind thee of thy Part. To read Books like Cormorants of Novelty, only out of Curiosity, and an Insatiable Thirst after New Notions, is rather to strive to be singular, than to be good. When the Mind is made Tid by a multiplicity of Books, and our Life, instead of being improved and formed more regularly, becomes superciliously more and more neglected; Reading is so far from Benefitting, that it does great Mischief to the Perusers, for to him that knows God's Will and does it not, to him it's Sin. I do therefore earnestly exhort thee, Not to suffer these Leaves to increase thy Condemnation, by a cursory and fruitless reading of them. Think and consider seriously of what has been writ, that thou may'st not repent in the End that thou hast bestowed so much Time, Candor and Patience on this rough Work. Consider, I beseech thee, that Opportunity and Condescension are too valuable to be fling away: They are rare and of great Price in every wise Man's-Eye, and therefore 'tis Unpardonable Folly to be prodigal of them. And, if after due Consideration, thou art convinced of the Reasonableness of the Counsels herein given, join with thy sincere Wellwisher and say: The Lord prospers the Devices of the Simple, and breaks in Pieces the 〈…〉 Mighty Spirits; blessed be the Na●●●● 〈…〉 Lord, How great are the contempt 〈…〉 they are Instruments in the Hand of 〈…〉 great a Lord? OH who is like unto th● 〈…〉 God, who hath his Dwelling so high 〈…〉 humbleth himself thus to behold the weak Contrivances of his vile Creatures on Earth!  
And I am inclined to believe, That if the Drift of this mean Performance be answered by but a very few Christians, God may thereby be moved to enable thy sincere Friend to writ with that Clearness and Vivacity hereafter, which I ingenuously own are very much wanting in the present Work: Nay, perhaps, if the Reader, though not out of Kindness to me, yet for the Sake of the Subject, and the Public, will be so wise as to connive at the Deformity of it, some great Master of this Faculty may at length be prevailed on to take the other Acts of Spiritual Beneficence into their own Hands: For they know the Worth of their own Time and Labour too well to run that Hazard which the mean do. But indeed I have found so much Repulse in this Affair, that I have almost condemned all such Hopes for Dreams and deceitful Expectations. We do not see the Nakedness, Poverty, Filth and Dangers of our Souls, as we do those of our Bodies: Were the Informations of patiented Thoughts as obvious and as easy to be got as those of Sense, 'twould be otherwise; but since 'tis not so, I don't wonder that so many People, whom God has blest with excellent Parts, when they have no set Seasons of serious Meditation, should slight those Subjects which immediately relate to the Improvement of the Soul, whilst to pleasure some corrupt Patrons and lewd Opinions of this Age, for the sake of a little vain Applause and lesle Profit, they have dressed up Vice and Debauchery in all the Gallantry of Wit and Expression▪ to the great Disadvantage of Religion, and the Dishonour of a Christian Kingdom: But not to distracted the Good, or enrage the Bad with any more Reflections of this Nature; Let, I earnestly entreat thee, Love be without Dissimulation: Speak the Truth from the Heart one with another, for we are Members one of another. Abhor that which is Evil, and cleave to that which is Good: Fellow after Charity, for this is the way to possess your Souls in Peace. Do good and reprove according to your several Opportunities: Walk worthy of the Vocation wherewith you are called, with all Lowliness and Meekness, with Long-Suffering, forbearing and curing one another's Disorders. Walk in Love, as Christ, who gave himself for us, that ye may be angry and yet not sin: That ye may reprove, and yet put away from you all Bitterness, Wrath and Clamour, with all Malice; being hind, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake hath forgiven you: Learn to be impartial, and to converse with all Godly Simplicity in the World: Walk as Children of Light: The Fruit of the Spirit is Righteousness, Goodness and Truth: Wherhfore prove what is acceptable unto the Lord Let no corrupt Communication proceed from you, but that which is good and edifies, and will minister Grace to those that hear. And that you may, when your Friend strikes you on the one Cheek [any tender part] turn the other also [be ready still to be disciplined for some other Sin which does most easily beset you] submitting to him in the Fear of the Lord Be sure never to grieve the Spirit of God. Christians, Be not wise in your own Conceits: Be not lofty in your own Eyes. We stand here in the midst of Snares and Enemies, whether we be in Honour or Dishonour, whether we abound or are in Want: We wrestle not only with Flesh and Blood, but with Principalities and Powers, with Spiritual Wickedness in High Places, and therefore had need stand in a watchful Posture: The Devil accuses us before our God Day and Night: Is it not therefore prudent to link together, to sympathise with one another's Infirmities? To be weak with our Friends when they are weak, to burn when they offend, after the Example of S. Paul? Sin is the Adversity of the Soul, and therefore the sorest Adversity of all: The Spirit of a Man may sustain his Infirmities, the Soul may be above all External Calamities, but a wounded Spirit who can bear? Nothing can give the Soul any lasting Support, under Gild. Misery will cling for ever about the Spirit, unless that be removed: Now it cannot be removed any where but here: So that 'tis in vain to think of Relieving a Friend under this Adversity in the other World, as the Devil, who makes it his Business to throw us into it, very well knows, when he suggests Delays to us, if he finds us inclined to help one another out of it: Let us therefore speedily unite our Endeavours, and not be so base as to disown our Friends in the dark Season of Adversity: To day it is not too late: To Morrow it may be so. Let us countermine him in his own Way, by accusing ourselves and one another, that by our Humiliations we may deliver ourselves from the Power of Sin here, and the dreadful ways of it, even Eternal Torments in the other World. When we use our best Counsels and Endeavours both by ourselves and with one another, we may reasonably trust in God, and in a pious succumbency on his powerful Grace and Spirit, promise' ourselves a Victory, if we continued unto the End. But proudly contemning such a mighty Enemy, and a lazy Reliance on God, who has made us Creatures capable of Vigilance, Activity, Counsel, and assisting one another's Souls, will not avail us now, nor answer for us before the Final Tribunal.  
This is not a Place of Ease and Rest: We have many Corruptions to subdue: There is no Possibility of living without some Interruptions of our Peace, some Thwarts and Rebukes, till we are arrived thither, where there will be no such thing as Improvement, but we shall always enjoy that degree of Glory, with which we are inverted at our first Entrance. But here the best Man may excel himself and daily found some Occasions of Alteration in his Life. The Sensual only seek Rest in this World, and therefore think much to be in the lest disturbed in the Enjoyment of their Lusts. They are impatient of any Let in the Career of Concupiscence: The Reason of this is because they have shaken of the Reinss of Reason; but a wise Man has regard to the End. And for that Reason, how irksome soever the Method of Friendship, which has been now proposed, may be to the Flesh, he will readily embrace it, since 'twill prove, after considerable continuance in it, Sanatary of the Spirit, and Perfective of the Man. Religion at first walks with its Subjects by crooked Ways, brings Fear and Dread upon them, and torments and searches them with her Discipline till they see the Beauty of her Laws, and she can trust their Souls, refined as Gold in the Furnace, without Curb and Restraint: Than she ravishes them with ineffable Comforts, and that Peace which is the Secret of the Saints: Before the last solemn Tribunal, the Tribunal of an honest Friend will be an entertaining Image to the Memory. When the outward Man decays, the Renovation of the inner Man will be a great and inestimable Staff to the Heart: When we are visited by extreme Sickness, the captivating Prospect of our Admission into a Place, where all Society is of a gratulatory Nature, where we shall be above the Aids of all Discipline and Ordinances; where all Tears shall be wiped from our Eyes; where we shall converse only with God, Christ, good Angels and glorified Human Spirits irreprehensibly, and every Reproof will be multiplied into Myriad and Myriad of Gratulations, will more than compensate our Loss (to speak for once in the Dialect of the Earthly) of the transitory stinging and allayed Pleasures of Sin.  
Now the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ sanctify your Spirits, Souls and Bodies, and strengthen you in every good Work and Word; and pour his Grace plentifully upon you, that you may be fit to Reprove and receive Reproofs from one another in all Lowliness and Love; that your Love and Friendship may abound more and more in all Judgement; that you may approve all things that are excellent, and be sincere and without Offence till the Day of Christ, being filled with the Fruits of Righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the Glory and Praise of God, Amen; For his beloved Son's sake, who died for our Sins and risen again for our Justification, and to make us zealous of good Works.   

Applicatory Collects of Devotion  

I For Purity.  
DEar Jesu● who wast the great Exemplar of Holiness, when thou didst condescend to wear Human Nature, and who didst dye for lapsed Man, that they might be capable of Pardon for their Fall in Adam, and of Regeneration and Purity, by the Assistance of the Holy Spirit: Deign, I beseech thee, to sand that Spirit to breath upon me, that I may be Holy and Pure in all my Conversation, as thou wast, and may utterly detest▪ Familiarity with any kind of Wickedness whatever. Give me a clear Sight of the Deformity of all Sin, and of the unvaluable Worth of a Soul, that I may purify myself from all filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit.   

II For Catholic Benevolence.  
GRant, Heavenly Father, I beseech thee, that by the Residence of thy Holy Spirit in my Heart, all the Christian Graces may flourish there, and adorn my Life more and more every Day, till my Love of God be fixed and immutable, and I can truly say, I have an universal and entire Love for all Mankind.   

III For Prudence in the Choice of a Friend.  
TEach me, good God, to know the Weakness of my Frame, and the Treachery and Uncertainty of this State and all that therein is; and since I can be useful but to a few, point out and procure to me the fittest Objects of my Love, and Receptacles of my Secrets; that my Choice being approved of by thee, I may never have Cause to repent of my Contracts, but may daily found fresh Occasions of lauding thee on their behalf, who honour or benefit me by their Intimacy.   

IV. For Fidelity and Gratitude to a Friend.  
INstruct, Incite and Enable me, OH Lord, I beseech thee, frequently to manifest the Sincerity and Briskness of my Love to all those who have been Ministers of Good to me under thy gracious and wakeful Providence. OH never suffer me to provoke my Conscience to upbraid me of Unkindness, Ingratitude and Treachery to any, to whom I have betrothed my Soul, and from whom I have received many Pledges of Love. Treasure up their Kindnesses securely in their Memory, and give me Power to make suitable Returns to them: And because all other Usefulness will not suffice to make them Happy unless they be Virtuous, and use their Opportunities and Prosperities to thy Glory; make me abhor all Flattery, Dissimulation, and hypocritical Love or Complacency which may entitle me to connive at any sinful Action in my Friend. Give me Courage to frown in due Season; and when my Contract can't but be violated unless my Affection for him, in Subordination to the Love of thee, Great God, feel a Medicinal Interruption; suffer me not, OH Lord, to turn my other Kindnesses into Curses, by withholding Seasonable Reproofs, jest we prove eternal Enemies to one another in an eternal Banishment from the Light of thy Countenance: From which good Lord deliver us.   

V For Peace.  
THat my Reproofs may work benignly and fruitfully in his-Soul, I do with the lowest Prostration of Soul and Body implore the Pardon of all my past and notorious Offences, and the Auxiliaries of thy Grace and divine Spirit in the Hour of Temptation, against all presumptuous Wickedness, that it may never domineer over me, and hinder me by a Load of intolerable Gild, from being able cheerfully to attempt to rescue my Brother out of the Talons of Sin. Give me that peaceable and quiet Spirit, which is not only a Recommendation of Reproof, but an universal Ornament of every Christian.   

VI For Spiritual Love and Spiritual Joy.  
BEautiful Creator of Spirits! inflame me with an unextinguishable Love of thee, that I may obey all thy Commandments; and when I reprove or do any thing else in compliance to thy known Will, I may have an Eye to thy Glory, and the Pleasure of my Friend, as far as it consists with thy Favour, and not idolatrously pay Homage to a private carnal Humour. OH may it not be thy Servant's Lot ever to cringe at the Beck of Malice, restless Envy, or an unreasonable Jealousy, or to have Ears greedy to suck in Complaints against him. But grant that all the Offences of my Friend may be matter of uneasiness to me, and so every Reproof be matter of manly Self-denial; that Reproof may be my strange Work, as Judgement is thine.   

VII. For Gentleness.  
MAke me Affable, thou God of Bowels, easy of Access, and easy in Conversation, always ready to yield in matters of an indifferent Nature; that I may never unhinge my Friend's Mind, but when his having done something, which, if unrepented of, will alienate him for ever from thee, the Fountain of Peace and Felicity, urges me, from a Principle of judicious Love, to rouse him out of a dangerous Lethargy of Soul.   

VIII. For Goodness.  
FUrnish me, OH thou giver of every good Gift, with Judgement to counsel my Friend in his Doubts, Knowledge to instruct him in his Ignorance and dispel his Errors, that he may not be led captive by thorny Scruples and heretical Opininions. Capacitate me to comfort him on the bed of Sickness and in tempestuous Times, when his Mind is disturbed by dismal Representations. Make me free of Hand to him in Danger and Poverty, and liberal of my Strength and Possessions for his Help. And because I am a Fellow-Subject to the same Infirmities with himself, raise both our Eyes to thee, OH Lord, who art a present Help in Time of Trouble, when the deepest Policy, the closest Fidelity of Friends and even Princes can't supply us. Supply me, I beseech thee, with Largeness of Heart and undaunted Faith, and an inexhaustible Spring of Charity, Hope and Tears, before thee, my God, in my Intercessions for him.   

IX. For Faith.  
HOnour me with that Faith with which thou rewardest a sacred Intention, and which will free me from Pride and Selfconfidence on the one Hand, and a servile Distrust and Despondency on the other Hand, that I may enjoy that equanimity which he that is unfettered from all immoderate Passions, and adheres only to thee by an humble Application of Christ's Merits, and an universal Conformity to his excellent Laws, only can enjoy.   

X. For Meekness.  
BEstow on me, finally, my Long-Suffering, though offended God, Meekness to Reprove with Humility, a Sense of my own Weakness and Lability, which will direct me to reprove with that Tenderness which the Frowardness and Infirmities of a Patient require, that I may constantly remember how ill Majesty comports with a Sinner, a Friend, and a Brother, and may not provoke him to be inconsiderate and to trample on my Reproof. And that I may be always ready to receive his Seasonable Reproofs with a grateful Mind, that our Defects may be every Day both lesle in Number and lesle in Appearance, and our Excellencies and Virtues may be still more and more illustrious and Exemplary, till we shall be both translated into that State where Virtue will cease to be gradual, and receive an unchangeable Perfection. Which Favours I beg in the Name and Words of our Blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, not only in our own, but in the behalf of all Mankind, saying,  Our Father which art in Heaven, etc.   
FINIS.