Serm. i6. and in what not ? throat and refrain, as the Wife man fpeaks, Prov. r 3.2. for that which may but be fufficient for one, may ferve for another to make his belly his God : yea,that which may be only convenient to the fame perfon at one time, may be gluttony and eacefs at another. And as about things, fo in our dealing with others much more variety both in re- fpe& of our felves and chofe we have to do withal!, As we mu{l re- mit that to one, we need not, nay, force times ought not to another, according to our own and their capacity ; as they are poorer or richer, than our felves, as they are weak, or wilful! and malicious oppofers of truth or equity ; and a thoufand fuck like confiderations, which occur in our a &ions, which though always fufficient in them felves to determine us yet becaufe of our fhortnefs of fight , are often but as the uncertain twinkling flar. light to us , whereby to fleer our courte. All that'sfaid of Moderation will more clearly appear, if we confider it's Extreams from the nature of Gods Commands , whìch are of two forts. I. Some are affirmative , and thofe either general what we mutt do, &c.and imply the end for which, and all the cirtum- flances that neceffarily attend our doing it : Or particular,and exprefs the circumftances external,as time and place, & internal (ufually called the maner) which comprehends the quality,and the moral quantity or proportion, we are fpeaking of,) which implies the intenfenefs , fre- quency, and duration of our adions. Thele continually oblige us, though not to continual pra&ice, but only when God requires ; the former by way of more abfolutenefs, the latter more condicionally,as depending thereupon. z.The other fort of precepts are negative,fom e- what we mud} not do, and fo con fequently at once forbid all the con- comitants of fuck adions as are prohibited ; others not forbidding us the objed,but redifyìng us about it,in the end we moil do it for, man- ner how, &c. both which obliges to continual obfervance and in morals to the contrary duties. By which it appears, in our not right proportioning our actions, we fin in omillion, by not doing fo fully as he commands,in cornmiflìon when we do thofe things that are our du- ty, but exceed therein, and go beyond the bounds God bath fet us, and this is formally immoderatenefs,which is ratified by Moderation. As for actions materially evil, as 7onah's being angry with God, ha- ting virtue, and loving vice, &c. which are abfolutely forbidden, no proportion is to have place, but it and all other circumitances toge., thrr wth the adion,wholly avoided or fupprel'fed, becaufe towards un- due objects forbidden us there can be no detect, in regard there fhould be no aetion, and therefore no Moderation pr government thereof. for 377
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