3. Once more; their joint influences must also meet in all our
and yet (if possible) avoid the offence of the sinner. It sometime directs us to convict an offender, by transferring the offence by way of supposition to ourselves; sometimes by relating a suitable history, or folding down are-markable scripture threatening or example, as it were accidentally, to meet them. How prudently did Nathan prepare
David, before he came to touch the quick, with, Thou art the man?
Above all, prudence adviseth us to keep ourselves pure from those sins we reprove in others; and when we must apply the precious oil of reproof to them, that we work it in with the warm, soft, gentle hand of love and compassion; and then the reproof is like to do good, and the reprover receive thanks for his kindness. "Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness: Let him reprove me, it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break mine head," Psal. 141:5.
3. Once more; their joint influences must also meet in all our dealings with distressed consciences.
Conscience is a very tender thing, and when sick and distressed, needs to be handled both judiciously and tenderly. The wound must be searched, saith faithfulness; it must be searched skilfully, saith prudence: He that can so search and cure it, deserves that excellent encomium, One among a thousand, Job 33:23. What expert and dexterous persons at this work, were our Greenham, Crook, Dod,
Ball, and Borroughs! Every empiric can skin over a wound, but a faithful minister will search it thoroughly, and a prudent minister will heal it warily; Ne vulnus in antiquum redeat, male firma cicatrix;
Lest it fester at the bottom, and break out again with greater danger.
It requires a great measure of both these graces, to bring general confused troubles to settle upon the right bottom; to direct a sin-sick