376 In rwhat things Ant& we ufe Moderation, Sera. i6. difficult to define, as the Philofopher acknowledgeth, who faith, there is nothing snore full of difficulty than in every thing to find the mean, The Rule he lays down to walk by , is Reafon , and a prudent mans determination ; the bell nature affords, and are efpecially good fòr the Duties oT the fecor.d fable, which he only ( though not to'all ) fpeaks of ; yet we (through the goodnefs of God) have a more fure and cer- tain one to guide us, to which we fhall do well to take heed, even the Scriptures, which are able to make us wife to falvation. It will be worth our while,to fpeak briefly what we can touching the Rule, which in general mull guide and determine our Moderation. For which end we mull know, that all our humane ac`fions, we are capable of moral good or evil,are oftwo forts,efpecially according to their ob- j: &s, Religions, or Civil. The former requires a Spiritual principles end, and rule, by which we mull perform them for their manner and meafure,which Scripturedoth abundantly for the internal by its par- ticular, and fufficiently for the external, by its general precepts, de- clare. For the latter or Civil a ions, as a natural principle, and end referrable to Gods glory ; fò alto for their manner and measure the general rules of Scripture to allow,& prefcribe them, is all we can rea- fonably expec}, and is fufficient for the fame. In the application where. of, Reafon and prudent determination are three ways fubf;Tvient. r. In judging the nature or quality of the objee` s in general, which we are particularly imployed about, (as the good things or evils of this life, in the particulars wherein we are converfant) according to what Scripture declares them to be, when h fpeaks of them, efpecially not comparatively, but abfolutely what they are in themièlves. 2. Of the end God bath ordained fuch things for, about while hash commanded us to be imployed, and accordingly to prop n our actions. It being a known Rule in the Schools Omnium appetibi- lium finm eft mevfura, or, that the end is that which mull prefcribe the meafure of our ac ings, according to its double refpeet,rei, . perfon.e, for what, and for whom the at-lion is. Laflly,in due confideration of the circumflances of the Agent,where- in is fuch great variety, not onely in regard of the perfon , which in- volves the end for whom the a &ion is, but all the adjacent circum- fiances, that herein occurs by far the greatell difficulty. For example, in meats and drinks. Confider diligently their nature in thole fet be- fore thee ; then their end, for refrefhing us, nor feeding our tufts ; and of thy feif what is fufficient and convenient for thee in the circum-. fiances thou art then in, and accordingly ufe them,or put a knife to thy throat
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