The Christian's manual in three parts ... / by L. Addison ...

LXXIV.

Nor can I imagine ought should render you backward to make known your Doubts, un∣less it be an improvident surmise that the ripping up of them will discover your Nakedness, and expose you to shame with o∣thers, and beget a discounte∣nance in your self. But there will be no ground left for this surmise, when it is duely consi∣der'd, that the Person to whom you are thus to reveal your self, is a pious and discreet Minister of Gods Word; one who will be as faithful to conceal, as you are to discover your infirmities; and as ready to heal your sores, as you are to rip them up: one too, who will be so far from insulting over your Weaknesses, or thinking ill of you for disco∣vering them, that he will love

and encourage your ingenuous and Christian dealing, and re∣store you in the Spirit of meek∣ness, and help to set things at rights between God and your Soul. But suppose the discove∣ry of your Scruples should in∣deed turn to your shame, which is the worst you can fear; yet to abstain from doing it upon this account, is to betray in you a less care of your Soul than of your Body. For the foulest and most shameful Diseases of the Body, you can, without blush∣ing, lay open to your Physi∣cian; and will you then be coy and squeamish to confess the sickness of your Soul! of which your care ought to be infinite∣ly greater than of your Body, as no less excelling it, than the heavenly Manna did the Ear∣then Pot that contained it. So that neither fear of shame, nor any thing else, ought to keep

you from using such means as any way tend to its Salvati∣on.