doth strongly engage us unto Moderation For we would have others moderate to us why should not we then be moderate to others David hit himself a foul blow when he was so angry against the rich man that had violently taken away the poor mans lamb and resolved that he should die not considering what he had done to Uriah 2 Sam. 12.5 How sparing men are of themselves and how sparing would they have their Brethren to be towards them and yet how rigid they are to others Some saith (q) Alii tam vehementer contra aliorum delicta zelantur ut videri possent esurire sitire justitiam si esset apud eos de suis quoque peccatis idem judicium sed nunc pondus pondus utrumque abominatio apud deum Nam contra alios tam impudenter quà m inutiliter aestuant seipsos tam incipienter quam inutiliter palpant Bern. de advent Dom. sermon 4. St. Bernard are so zealous against the faults of others as if they did hunger and thirst after justice which were very commendable if they were likewise as zealous against their own Sins but saith he Pondus pondus divers weights are an abomination to the Lord and they who do so impudently and vainly censure others do as foolishly and unprofitably flatter themselves 4. The good of others and the peace of the Church do strongly engage us unto moderation Si virtutum finis ille sit maximus qui plurimorum spectat profectum moderatio propè omnium pulcherima est Ambros de paenitent lib. 1. adv Novat ca. 1. If that be the chief end of vertue saith he to respect the profit of many Certainly moderation is the most excellent The answer of Apollonius to Vespasian was full of excellent instruction Vespasian asked him what was Neroes overthrow he answered Nero could tune and touch the Harp well but in Government sometimes he used to wind the Pipes too high sometimes to let them down too low Reason 4 And certain it is that nothing destroys authority so much as the unequal and untimely interchange of Power pressed too far and relaxed too much And if it be asked what hath been the ruine of our Church lately one of the famous Churches in the World what but because with Nero we could never yet hit of the Golden Mean but have either been too high or too low When I consider into what a distracted estate our Church is brought through our mutual and immoderate contentions I cannot but think of the Prophets earthen Bottels dashed one against another Jer. 13.12 13 14. and of Philip Duke of Burgundie his Embleme Flint and Steel beaten one against the other till both be wasted affording no other issue but Fire Between our Yea and your Nay said (r) Inter licet nostrum non licet vestrum mutant remigant animae Christianorum Optat. adv Parmen Mr. Ward in his coal from the Altar p. 254. Optatatus to the Donatists the Souls of Christians waver and are unsetled And have not we brought it to the same pass by our immoderate quarrels among our selves that many a Christians soul staggers and is unresolved others leap aside into the Tents of Popery and multitudes perverted and become they know not what themselves We have made the Devill but too much sport already who hath thrown in Bones to set us together by the ears whilst he lets in the common Enemy upon us Moderation and Charity are the Builders of Churches strife about Trifles hath wasted many famous ones and placed the Temples of Mahomet where the Golden Candlestick was wont to stand We pity the former ages contending about levened and unlevened bread keeping of Easter fasting on Sundays c. the future ages will do the like for us Oh that the Lord would put into the hearrs both of Governors and parties to these quarrels once to make an end of these Midiniatish wars that we might jointly pour out the vials of our zeal upon the Throne of the Beast God knows the Church hath not lost but the Adversaries of it have gotten as much by our immoderate Domestical dissentions a forein Enemy cannot wish us a greater mischief or themselves a greater advantage than this This makes the Turks pray to God to keep the Christians aâ— variance and encouraged one of their Emperors to say when his Council diswaded him from a war against the Germans by reason of their multitude that he feared them not because sooner would his fingers be all of one length than their Princes be all of one mind As more grievous and less easie to be borne for if we mingle sin with our sufferings it is as if a man should put poyson into some wholsom physick besides it is by patience that we possess our souls in all sufferings Luke 21.19 and if through immoderation and impatience we shall be dipoâ—sest of our Souls in a time of suffering what a sad condition are we in then Use of Exhortation The use of all that hath been said shall be to exhort us unto Moderation a grace so excellent and yet so much out of Grace with the times I know indeed that moderate men are commonly crushed between the extreme parties on both sides and in this world generally they get the least preferment it faring with them as with the guest that sat in the midst of the Table who could reach to neither Messe above him nor beneath him But to overballance these temporal inconveniencies of Moderation I shall offer unto the Readers thoughts the benefits of Moderation as I find them to my hand in an author eminent for learning and Moderation The benefits of Moderation And 1 A sound judgment 1. A well-informed judgement is of it self a great preferment which a man that wants Moderation seldom hath for they that have so much heat usually have but little light or else their light is no better than darkness the mist of their passions dims their eyes that they cannot see clearly Now what is of more value next to truth than a judgement well informed with truth Certainly saith the Lord Bacon it is Heaven upon Earth to have a mans mind move in charity rest in providence and turn upon the poles of truth all which a moderate Christian hath It is the greatest folly in the world for any man in matters of Religion to entertain a lie or to possesse himself of falshood and therefore it requires the greatest care of a Christian that in Religion he be not found to receive any thing which is not sound and grounded upon truth It is royal and noble liberty to be under the command of truth and the more subject a man is to truth the more free noble and raised he is and of choice a man should deliver himself up absolutely without any reservation to truth it is a mans height and excellency thus to do But it is a mans greatest debasement to enslave his conscience to an
Loves Companion OR A SHORT TREATISE Of the Nature Necessity and Advantages of MODERATION Being the substance of two Sermons preached at Ousburne by J. H. M. A. and Minister of Ousburne Be not righteous over-much neither make thy self over-wise why shouldest thou destroy thy self 7. Ecclesiast 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aristot lib. 2. Ethic. capit 6. LONDON Printed by Francis Leach 1656. To the Worshipfull THOMAS DICKINSON Esq and a worthy Member of the Honourable House of Parliament SIR IT is the observation of a learned man out of Tertullian that Christ is always crucified between two Theeves that is Truth suffers between two extream Errors and I have observed that the moderate man is ever crushed between two extream parties who because he would have them both friends is looked upon by both as an Enemy Yet methinks now if ever a Treatise of Moderation should be acceptable after we have had such sore and sure experience of the evils that arise from its contrary I know it would have been to as little purpose to have presented to publike view a subject of this nature in the times of our busie wars as it is to give advice to a man in the heat and height of his passion but now that things after so many years of confusion are grown more calm and composed I hope likewise that mens spirits are accordingly tempered especially having proved by trial that because they would suffer nothing before they are now forced almost to suffer every thing this is a sharp remedy but Pride Uncharitableness and Hypocrisie are sore diseases if the Lord shall hereby cure us of these sins and afterwards restore and settle us we shall have cause to acknowledge his dealing with us not only just but mercifull One great enemy unto moderation are deep and dangerous engagements unto a party which make men of that desperate humour as to resolve according to the Proverb That because they have gone over Shooes they will over Boots too There is but one thing required to make a wise man that is Consideration yet that Consideration is twofold either before or after the fact the former tends to prevent a mischief before it come the latter to remove and heal it when through inadvertency it is come the former is better yet the latter is good if not out of season for as we say Better late wise than never But such is the proud humour of deeply-engaged persons that they refuse to put in practice the latter because they would not be thought to have neglected the former and resolve rather to continue fools even ad delirium insaniam than they will be thought once not to have been so wise as they might have been These men are of the Forlorne hope and their Word is Go forward but their forwardness is frowardness and if not seasonably repressed by Authority will precipitate themselves and others into destruction I confess that to backslide in matters of Religion is both base and sinfull but if a man hath over-shot himself and gone too far it is both his wisdom and safety in time to look back God forbid that any who professeth himself to be an Israelite should think of returning back to Aegypt no farewell all cringing and crossing and bowing with such like dregs of refined Popery that they may never return again till his Holinesse by the help of his Catholike Son reduce the Church of England is my Prayer unfeignedly But in things that tend to the order and well-being of the Church which are at present together with the other utterly demolished there is no doubt but Authority will give us leave to look back to the Constitutions of the Primitive Church and the Constitutions of our own Church formerly so far forrh as agreeing with them and not repugnant to the Scriptures except we should depend upon an immediate Revelation for our direction A second enemy unto Moderation is Hypocrisie and self-endedness these make men that they do not so much desire publike settlement as private safety and causeth them altogether to hold off from engaging themselves to take up the quarrels of the Church lest if their endeavours should prove unsuccessfull they might suffer by it Such as these may be observed to stand not in medio but in bivio expecting the event that they may apply themselves accordingly Pelago se non ita commissurum esse qui◠quando liberet pedem referre posset Melch. Adam in Vit. Bez. As King Henry the fourth of Navarre told Beza who urged him to shew himself in the quarrel of the Protestants Religion that he would keep upon the shore and not launch too ar out into the deep but so that if a storm should arise he might soon get to land again A Lesson that it seems Baldwin a man in great esteem among the French but a very Ecebolus in Religion taught him It was once the Speech of a deep Politician that it was good to follow the truth but not too near at the heels lest it should dash out his brains But if all men were of this mind when would the quarrels of our Church be taken up certainly not till the day of judgement if out Church should continue so long A third Enemy unto Moderation is Pride and popularity I joyn them both together because they seldom goe asunder A man cannot be moderate who is not setled in his judgement and humble in his apprehension now Pride makes a man stiff where compliance is necessary popularity makes him base in condescension where fixedness of resolution is required Lastly there are some that live by quarrels and dissentions who are of all others the greatest Enemies unto Moderation These are of his mind that bade when the sword was drawn throw the Scabbard to the Devil We read in Plutarch of one Demades by profession a maker of Coffins that was banished out of the City of Athens for wishing that he might have good trading that Wise State truly interpreting the language of his wish as desiring some Epidemical disease his private profit being inconsistent with the publike flourishing of the Commonwealth so those people who are undone and cannot live but by undoing of others certainly wish no good to our Church or Nation but must needs be State Barretours to keep the sore alwayes raw between Magistrates and Ministers between Governours and their people Sir besides all these I have observed two great evils under the Sun and they are these That if a man be zealous he shall presently be accounted immoderate by prophane persons and if he be moderate he shall be thought to be lukewarm by hot professors So that between prophaness and indiscretion it is almost impossible for a man to maintain his reputation for those which condemn zeal that keeps it self within its own circuit under the pretence of immoderation they are scarce worth the answering Ahab accused Elijah for the troubler of Israel and Tertullus St. Paul for a pestilent fellow
to that Sermon of Mutual Love If there be any thing else which I have promised and thou expectest I shall as God gives assistance and this finds acceptance endeavour according to my poor ability to answer thine expectation but for the present I have engaged my self to adde unto these something concerning the Enemies of Love and Moderation the greatest part whereof is at present ready In the mean time if thou receive any benefit by this Blesse God and pray for the unworthy Instrument who is Thine to serve thee in our Lord Jesus JOSIAH HUNTER Loves Companion Philipp 4.5 Let your moderation be known unto all men the Lord is at hand Text THere are two things Beloved which were never more needfull to be pressed than now and they are Moderation and Zeal Perhaps some may judge this at the first reading to be a strange paradox but it is a real truth and if there be any thing strange it is in the times into which we are fallen that do at once require both a great measure of Zeal a great deal of Moderation for who doth not see that in things of less concernment mere notions speculations how hot we are here therefore is need of Moderation But on the other side who sees not that in things of weighty importance both for matter of doctrine and practice faith and love how cold we are here therefore is need of Zeal How hot many men are in defending an opinion and yet cold in opposing an heresie how hot many men are in opposing a ceremonie and yet lukewarm in the maintenance of things of greater concernment and the truth is I never knew the violent prosecution of speculations and politicks but it was ever accompanied with a coldness and loosness in piety and practice I shall make choice of another opportunitie to speak concerning Zeal for the present my subject shall be Moderation And for the right understanding of these words you must Consider that these Philippians to whom the Apostle directs his Epistle were in a suffering condition as appears out of 1 Phil. 27. Only let your conversation be as becommeth the Gospel of Christ standing fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel and in nothing terrified by your adversaries which is to them an evident token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God for unto you it is given on the behalf of Christ not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear to be in me Upon these suffering Christians therefore it is that the Apostle layes this injunction Let your moderation be known unto all men adding also a reason to enforce it the Lord is at hand how at hand that is either for your present succour as it is in Psal 46.1 God is our refuge and strength a very present help in trouble Or he will come shortly to judgement and put an end to all your sufferings and revenge all the wrongs offer'd to his people as you have it James 5.8 Be ye also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh So that though it be many years off in your account yet it is not many dayes in Gods account with whom one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day 2 Pet. 3.8 Let your moderation be known to all men The Vulgar Intetpreter renders it Modestia vestra your Modestie which though it be an effect of Moderation yet it is not moderation it self no more than blushing can properly be said to be modestie because it is an effect of it but as blushing proceeds sometimes from modestie so doth modestie from Moderation In the Original it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 your equitie or rather equabilitie or equal carriage being neither too much lifted up in wrath clamor or evil speaking because of the sins of your adversaries nor too much dejected and cast down be cause of the oppressions sufferings which you sustain from your adversaries Let this your moderation or equall carriage 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be known that is let it be such that it may be manifest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to all men not only your friends but your enemies not only to the godly and such as are well-affected to you but likewise to the wicked and such as are ill-affected to you Hence I might give you the observation That it is not enough for a Christian to have grace but he must also in his conversatiō manifest it that it may be known to others even all men But that which I intend is this That Christians ought to carry themselves so at all times but especially in suffering times Observ that their Moderation may be manifest to all men For the improvement of this point I will endeavour these three things 1. To shew you what this Moderation is 2. Why it is the duty of a Christian to express it 3. Why especially in suffering times First What this Moderation is to which I answer first negatively what it is not where I remove three things 1. Moderation is not an halting between two opinions when the thorow beleeving of one of them is necessary unto Salvation Elijah said unto the people How long will you halt between two opinions If the Lord be God then follow him but if Baal follow him 2 Kings 18.20 Such were they we read of 1 Zeph. 5. That worshipped and that sware by the Lord and that sware by Malcham This halting argueth at the best great weakness and instability both of judgement and affection if not a corrupt and rotten judgement and affection Contrary to this halting is upright walking which is so often and so much commended to us in Scripture The integrity of the upright shall guide them Prov. 11.3 As for the Upright he directeth his way Prov. 21.29 And the way of the Lord is strength to the upright 10 Prov. 29. Though a man be weak yet if he be upright the way of the Lord shall be strength to him and his uprightness shall guide him and direct him in the way Halting therefore comes from Hypocrisie at the least from unsettledness We read in (b) Mr. Fuller in his Holy State Act. 27 12. of an Haven that lay towards the South-west and towards the North-west It is strange that it could have part of two so opposite parts North and South sure it must needs be very winding Yet there are some mens Souls in such intricate postures that they lie towards the Papists and towards the Protestants and among Protestants there are many that lie towards Anabaptisme Judaisme Arminianisme c. such as these we account not of a moderate judgement but of an immoderate unsettledness or indeed the falseness of their hearts is rather to be feared than the meer fickleness of their judgements Peter and therefore no such wonder of other men though in
thereat is he a moderate man that shall suffer himself to be drawn away to heresie or idolatry without making any resistance when Enticers to Idolatry how near soever were to be put to death Deut. 13.1 Or am I moderate man if being a Parent Master of a Family or a Minister shall permit an Anabaptist an Arrian Arminian or Papist to come and sow their seeds of Errors in my Family and Parish thereby to seduce my people Certainly in such cases as this a great measure of zeal is necessary and some extravagancies are excusable as being errors ardentis amoris to this purpose that of Moses is observable who having been in the Mount with God and received from him the Law in two Tables comming down and beholding the Idolatry of the people his anger waxed hot and he cast the Tables out of his hands and brake them beneath the Mount Exod. 32.19 wherein thongh Moses was blame-worthy yet the Scripture doth not blame him so well doth God like of zeal in such cases Joel 2.13 Rending of Garments were in use amongst the Jews at the Report of blasphemy and no where that I find condemned only we are warned to rend the heart more than the Garment and if any one should censure a man for rending his Garments or such like action in these dayes at the hearing of blasphemie I think he were no less to blame than Eli for passing the censure of drunkenness upon sorrowfull Hannah 1 Sam. 1.13 14. remembring that of the Apostle that if a man in this case to outward appearance be besides himself it is for God 2 Cor. 5.13 Will ye call him a moderate man who living amongst vicious persons given to drunkenness swearing prophanation of Gods day and such like gross impieties is nothing affected therewith then Lot was an immoderate man whose righteous soul was vexed from day to day with the unlawfull deeds of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.8 much more David whose eyes ran down with Rivers of tears Psal 119.136 because men did not keep Gods Law That therefore is not moderation but lukewarmnesse which the Lord doth highly abominate and abhorre Only mistake me not I say a moderate man is not luke-warm in those things wherein Gods glory is concerned Otherwise if the thing be indifferent he is also indifferent and where the thing is neither good nor evil he is neither cold nor hot but in matters of weight and importance there is none more zealous than he For indeed he thriftily treasured up his spirits against such a time who if he had formerly spent his Lungs about every trifle would have wanted breath to plead for things of greater concernment Moderation therefore and luke-warmness do exceedingly differ the luke-warm man eyeth his own ends and particular profit the moderate man aims at the Good of others and the unitie of the Church the moderate man is indifferent in things which are indifferent but the luke-warm person is indifferent in things which concern the glory of God the moderate man is full of charity which makes him luke-warm in things which are mere circumstantial the luke-warm person is empty of piety which makes him luke-warm in things which are altogether substantial 3. Moderation is not a toleration of things which are destructive unto the essence or foundation of the doctrine and worship of true Christian Religion In things of lesser moment there is no man more suffering than he he will suffer others to use their liberty yea he will abridge himself of his own liberty rather than be an occasion of casting any mans conscience into straits In such things he saith as the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.16 If any man seem to be contentious we have no such custom neither the Churches of God If ye look at the pedigree from whence Contention is extracted you shall easily perceive that Moderation is nothing a kin to it I think (f) W. Q. in a Sermon on 1 Cor. 11.16 he spake not amiss who said There was a bastard begotten by anger nursed by pride and maintained by wilfull contradiction and when they came to give him a name they called him Contention And as was the name of the child so was his nature for as soon as ever he began to goe he went backward like the Sea-crab as soon as ever he began to read he read backward like the Hebrews as soon as he began to row he rowed backward evermore against Tide and Stream If this be the nature of Contention it is altogether contrary to Moderation which in matters of indifferencie will yeeld far to and comply much with others But if it be a thing that tends to the subversion of the substance and foundation of Religion derogating from the person or office of Christ the mediator between God and Man Gods free Grace in him that full redemption wrought and salvation purchased by him that exact obedience and abundant thanks which we owe to him for this work or any other fundamental principle of the doctrine of Christ this a moderate man will by no means tolerate for he can do nothing against the truth 2 Cor. 13.8 and for that faith which was once delivered to the Saints he will earnestly contend Jude v. 3. against all that creep in unawares bringing in damnable heresies ungodly men 2 Pet. 2.1 turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness and denying the Lord Jesus Christ that bought them He thinks a toleration in this sense to be so far from Religion that it is against the very light of nature as is apparent from Moses his reply to Pharaoh when Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron and said Go ye sacrifice to your God in the land Moses said it is not meet so to do for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eys and will they not stone us Exo. 8.25 26. I have a few things against thee saith Christ to the Church of Pergamos because thou hast there the doctrine of Balaam thou hast also the doctrine of the Nicolaitans which thing I hate Rev. 2.14 15. So saith he to the Angel of the Church of Thyatira I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that woman Jezabel to teach and to seduce my servants Rev. 2.20 A toleratiō of such doctrins manners as the Lord hates is most intolerable We read in Ezek. 24.6 of a Woe to the pot whose scum is therein and whose scum is not gone out of it But where there is a toleration I cannot see how the scum can be purged out and certainly where Magistrates Ministers will not be at the pains to take off this scum the Lord himself will do it but it shall be in a fearfull manner Therfore thus saith the Lord God Woe to the bloudie Citie I will even make the pile of fire great heap on wood kindle the fire consume the flesh and
perhaps they have neither power nor authority to rectifie them I beheld the transgressors and was grieved saith David because they kept not thy word Psal 119.158 and Psalm 139.21 Am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee There is but little love in that man to God who doth not grieve at that which grieves God But then in the last place I say the Moderate man though he do seriously hate and grieve for the evills and the errors done and declared by others yet it is with much Christian meekness without wrath and rancor so far as humane infirmity will permit I know thy works saith Christ to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evill and hast born and hast patience and for my name sake hast laboured and hast not fainted Rev. 2.2 3. This is a most notable place to our purpose I know thy Labour and thy Patience how thou hast born and hast Patience and yet canst bear them which are evill This might seem to be a manifest contradiction but it is not for it becomes a moderate Minister or Christian with all his might to strive to redress such evills as are within the compass of his power and calling and what he cannot redress patiently to endure being sensible of them hating them and grieving for them but not moved thereby unto a fretting impatience either against God or man Thou canst not bear them which are evill and yet hast born and hast patience and for my name sake hast laboured and not fainted The Lord will render unto every man according to his work to them who by patient continuace in well doing seek for glorie and honour and immortality eternall life but unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrightousnesse indignation and wrath Rom. 2.6 7 8. So the Apostle Iames having declared the wickednesse and oppression of rich men which was not in the power of poor men to redresse Be patient therefore saith he brethren unto the coming of the Lord be ye also patient stablish your hearts for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh Grudge not one against another lest ye be condemned behold the Judge standeth before the door take the Prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord for an example of suffering affliction and of patience behold we count them happie which endure James 5.7 8 9 10 11. If when you do well and suffer for it patiently this is acceptable unto God 1 Pet. 2.20 Contrary to this Moderation in the Affections in the defect is 1. when men are not sensible of nor doe they cordially hate and grieve for the evils and errors of others how loud and clamorous soever they are against them So I observe many who are very invective against the corruptions innovations and heresies of the times who yet are nothing affected with the dishonour that is done to God by them and the decay of religion As in that uproar which Demetrius raised some cried one thing and some another and the assembly was confused for the more part knew not wherefore they were come together Acts 19.32 So is it among our people generally they are confused some crie out against the Sects heresies and corruptions of the times for one thing some for another and the greater part know not wherfore only because that they hear others Some ther are again who profess to detest and be griev'd at the corruptions of the times but it is out of a politick respect as the Jews Jo. 11.48 opposed Christ If we let him thus alone Timemus ne subvertamur de ignominia verò Christi omnium minime dolemus Musc super Joan. cap. 2. v 17. say they all men will believe on him and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation So they if we let these Sectaries alone thus not the truth of God shall fall in the Streets and be trodden under foot the Church rooted out Gods worship destroyed no but they will gather to an head over-runne us take away our estates from us and exercise tyrannie over us This is the Ground of the grief of knowing worldly Politicians not that they care for the promotion of the Church or the propagation of the Gospel yet now they profess to stand for them the reason is because the present interest of the Church is something linked with their own interest and they do but contend for the former with relation to the latter For were the Church and they at rest from the present disturbers of our peace ye should have it as much vexed and grieved with the scoffings and prophaneness of these men as now it is with the schisms and heresies of the other 2. Contrary to this Moderation of the Affections in the excesse is wrath and swelling Though others do evil yet that is no warrant for us to do evil Fret not thy self because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass cease from anger and forsake wrath fret not thy self in any wise to do evil for evill doers shall be cut off but those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth Ps 37.7 8 9. wrath and envying are numbred among the works of the flesh as well as seditions and heresies Gal. 5.20 21. and we are commanded to put off wrath anger and malice as well as blasphemy they being no lesse deeds of the old man and members of the body of death than the other Coloss 3.8 Sure it is the wrath of man doth not work the righteousness of God James 1.20 And therefore is meekness so much commended in Scripture as an ornament of great price in the sight of God 1 Pet. 3.4 And we are commanded in evil times when the fierce anger of the Lord is breaking out to seek righteousnesse to seek meeknesse if that we desire to be hid in the day of the Lords wrath Zeph 2.2 3. Unto meeknesse it is that so many promises are made the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of inward if they want outward peace Ps 37.11 The Lord lifteth up the meek Psal 147.6 He will beautifie the meek with salvation Psal 149.4 The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord Isa 29.19 It is a great honour to our profession and stops the mouths of false accusers 1 Pet. 3.14 If ye suffer for righteousnesse sake happy are ye and be not afraid of their terrors neither be troubled but sanctifie the Lord God in your hearts and be ready alwaies to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and reverence that whereas they speak evil of you they may be ashamed who falsly accuse your good conversation in Christ 3. Moderation in the Conversation 3. This Moderation may be considered in the Conversation and that is when a man out of
walk by and not the Word Religion hath two great Enemies Superstition and Innovation he that would not be an old Time-server or a new Time-server must walk between these two if he would make streight paths unto himself and his Guide must be the Word My Son saith the wise man fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with them that are given to change Prov. 24.21 Then we must meddle little with the times for what is more given to change than they the Scripture bids us instead of serving the times to save our selves from them Acts 2.40 to beware of them See that ye walk not as fools but as wise because the daies are evill Ephesians 5.16 17. And then the Apostle addes immediately Wherefore be not unwise but understanding what the Will of the Lord is We must labour therefore ye see especâ—ally in evill times to know what the will of God is out of the VVord that we may follow what is pleasing unto him not that which is pleasing unto the times otherwise we are not wise for the greatest wisdome is to comply with God as I think and not with the times The times that we live in are evill and perilous times he that shall bind himself Apprentise to serve them 7 year shal find it very difficult to serve them so as always to please the times and impossible always to serve them please God and remain idem homo 2. Not divine Providences 2. Make the VVord you rule not divine Providences VVe may make dangerous constructions of providences if we rest in them do not compare these Revelations of God in his works with and interpret them by the Revelation that he hath made in his word When David had spent some time and serious thoughts upon the study of that great point touching the outward visible prosperity of wicked men and the outward seeming infelicity of the godly he professeth Ps 13.16 17. when I thought to know this it was too painful for me until I went into the Sanctuary of God then understood I their end It was evident from the event that it was the will of God the Israelites should be worsted in that war which they upon just grounds undertook against the Benjamites Jud. 20. but if any should from hence have concluded that the Israelites quarrel was not good because their success was bad he would have made a dangerous mis-construction of Gods providence in that particular case Therefore we must always make such a construction of the various works of Gods providence as may consist with the verity of the standing and invariable rule of his word otherwise we shall lose and incautelously engage our selves to justifie any unwarrantable opinion or practice which God in his just providence and for ends at present unknown to us permits to spread and prosper when he doth nothing less than approve of them to be true and just The judgements of the Lord are unsearchable and his ways past finding out Rom. 11.33 We must not think therefore to trace him here If we can parallel any passage of providence with the like instance out of Scripture then we may probably conjecture what the mind of God is in it and what disposition of heart and frame of life the Lord doth expect from us otherwise we cannot nor are we to fashion our lives hearts according to the providence of God but according to his word which teacheth us rightly to interpret providence For providence generally is a Revelation of what God had unknown to us decreed from eternity that he would do not a revelation of what he would have us do unless we know the mind of God in that Providence which if we cannot gather from the Word our own fancies are but incompetent Judges and long enough may we conjecture ere we make a right conclusion How many strange and almost not to be paralleld occurrences of Divine Providence have we in this Nation within a few years met withall if any one now should have steered his course not according to the Compass of the Word but every present and sudden apparition of Providence I doe not see how he could keep a streight path but either he must walk in crooked and by-ways and ways not cast up or else in Circulo and so for diverse years have rid no ground in his journey toward the heavenly Canaan 3. Make the Word your rule 3. Not the examples of men not the judgement or practice of any man be he never so learned and godly further than ye see them to be agreeable unto the Word Christs example we must follow for he left us an example that we should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2.21 But we may not write after any other Copy farther than we see it to agree with the original Be ye followers of me saith Paul as I also am of Christ 1 Cor. 11.1 So far as we see any man to follow Christ we may follow him but no farther I presume none of you will say that we are bound to follow Peter though a Disciple and Apostle of Christ in denying his Master The best men have had their errors and their failings which we have therefore recorded to teach us that we should make the exampâ—â— of no man how godly soever our rule to walk by for there is not the best man living but may and doth sometimes tread awry and I am perswaded the Lord suffers men of great parts many times to fall into errors of judgement and men of much grace to fall fouly in their conversation lest others might have their persons in admiration if not adoration Were I a man of the greatest learning and holiness of Conversation in the world I think I should as earnestly pray to God that others might not trust to me as that I might not trust to my self for when I once saw people begin to applaud me and imitate me ex industria I should then be very fearfull that the Lord would leave me to my self as he often doth the most able and Godly men that people may see they are men of like passions infirmities with themselves The Psalmist saith Bishop Hall compares the Law of God to a Lantern Psal 119.105 Good example bears it It is safe following him that carries the lighr but if he walk without the light he shall walk without me For that a man should be so wedded to any mans person that he must make no separation from his infirmities is both absurdly servile and unchristian And that for which I do the rather urge this so much is because I see in these times wherein godly men are of such different opinions many religious persons judge themselves most secure from falling by leaning unto the examples of some eminently learned and Godly Ministers but the safest way is to have recourse to the word examine by sound reasons and plain testimonies deduced from thence whether their opinions or practices be good and
if ye find that the Scripture approves of them then make use of their example for imitation and encouragement As a man in a ship hath his hand upon the rudder and his eye upon the Star so it is good to have your eye upon the examples of godly and judicious men but let your hand be alwaies upon the Scripture let go your hold of that ye will run the hazard of making a shipwrack of your faith I dare confidently say that there is no truly godly man though never so learned will presume so much upon himself as to impose upon others his example or practice farther than he can prove the necessity thereof by Scripture why then should any man take a yoke upon him which is not laid upon him I exhort you saith (t) Vos hortamur ut non quod vobis placet aut nobis audire quaeratis sed quod domino complacet consonum est Scripturis Basil in Hom. adv Sabellian Basil not so much to enquire what pleaseth you and what pleaseth me but what is pleasing to God and agreeable to the Scriptures To what inconveniences Augustine had bound himself if he had strictly tied himself to the Fathers before him though very holy and of great learning is well enough known But (u) Alios Scriptores praeter Canonicos ita lego ut quantâlibet sanctitate doctrinâve perpolleant non ideo verum putem quia ipsi ita senserunt sed quia mihi vel per alios auctores Canonicos vel probabili ratione quòd à veritate non abhorreat persuadere potuerint Aug. Epist 19. ad Hieron saith he other Writers besides those that are Canonical I so read that however they may excel in learning and pietie yet I do not think any thing to be true meerly because they have thought so unles they can perswade me by certain testimonies of the Scripture or probable reasons that what they say is true But was Augustine willing that other men after him should deal with his Writing as he did with the Fathers before him Yes For (x) Negare non possum nec debeo sicut in ipsis majoribus ita multa esse in tam multis opusculis meis quae possunt iusto judicio ac nullâ temeritate culpari Aug. ad Vincent Victor lib. 2. saith he I neither can nor ought to deny but as in the Antients so likewise in my works there are many things which may justly and without any rashness be blamed (y) Neminem velim sic amplecti omnia mea ut me sequatur nisi in â—is in quibus me non errata perspexerint Nam propterâ—ae nunc facio libros Retractionum ut nec meipsum in omnibus me secutum suisse demonstrem Aug lib. de Bon. perseverantiae cap. 21. And I would not have any man so to embrace all my writings as to follow me in all things unlesse he see that I have not erred in them for therefore do I make my book of Retractations to shew that I my self have not in all things followed my self Above all 4. Take heed of making crooked the rule and wresting it to the maintenance of any ertoneous or self-Conceit This is a dreadfull sin and he who doth it knowingly speaketh lies in hypocrisie It was a fearfull evil for Lucifer to say I will ascend up and be like the highest is it not as great a sin for any to seek to make the highest become like Lucifer so do they that drag down the Scriptures to patronize any erroneous opinion of their own heads or any evil of their own hearts they go about to make the blessed God and the Holy Ghost the Father of lies than which what can be more abominable It is accounted a capital crime in a Commonwealth to put the States stamp upon false Coin and to put the stamp of the Spirit of God upon an error upon a conceit of a mans own is certainly a great evil before the Lord. We doe with one consent blame the Papists for making the Scriptures a nose of wax that a man may writhe which way he pleaseth let not any Protestant practise that which he so severely condemns in a Papist be his pretence never so plausible Yet alas who doth not see and cannot but be grieved to see how horribly we wrest the Scriptures I should not have said it but that it is too manifest to be hid For it is but usual when mens opinions do not agree with the Scriptures to wrest the Scriptures to make them agree with their opinions The reason of it is this Men receive opinions before they have well examined them by the Scripture having once entertained them out of weakness the strength of their pride causeth them to use this means for the maintaining of them and though it be but some additional point in Divinitie yet now it must needs be fundamental in Religion because it is fundamental to his reputation (z) Optimus Scripturae lector est qui dictoruÌ„ intelligentiam ex dictis expectat potius quà m importat et retulerit magis quà m attulerit nec cogat id videri dictis contineri quod ante lectionem praesumpserit intelligendum Hilar lib. 1. De Trin. Hilarie hath an excellent saying with which I will shut up this head He is the best reader of the Scripture saith he that carrieth away the sense of any place of Scripture after he hath read it not he that bringeth 〈◊〉 with him and so even after a forcible manner labours to make that appear to be in such a Scripture which he presumed was to be found there before he came to read it Men that do thus may not unfitly be compared to Camels that diink not of the fountain as Historians tell us till they have pudled in them with their feet But what if the Scripture in some things be silent prescribing only rules in the general as that 1 Cor. 14. Let all things be done decently and in order not peremptorily enjoining any thing in particular to be observed in such a Church what is most convenient for a moderate man to do in such a case To this I answer according to mine own judgement Fifthly That it is most meet where the Scripture is silent we should hearken to the voice of the Church in the first place the Primitive Church and next to that the Church wherein we live Where the Scripture speaks I would have the Church only our Comment but where the Scripture is silent I would have the Church our Text and judge it most fitting that men should follow the great Wheel of the Church and move by that not reserving any proper poles or motions from the Epycicles of their own brains It argues monstrous pride in any man in things of indifferency for in things of absolute necessity I presume the Scripture is resolute to lean unto his own judgement or the opinion of a party against the general assent of the Church I see no reason why our own Church should be slighted by them that cannot deny themselves to be her children much less the Primitive and Ancient Church from the Apostles times Where the Scripture is silent let us hearken and adhere to her testimony I knew that Novelty hath much prevailed against Antiquity in this last age but I see little hopes of Moderation till Antiquity come into more estimation than at present it is In the mean time for so I chuse to break off abruptly Consider what hath been spoken and the Lord give you understanding and Moderation in all things FINIS