Senn. 16. and in what not ? fall into,nay, w,fn for death rather than life,as feveral ache Prophets. Maintain that equilibrious frame in thee (as David, z Sam. 15. 26. ) Here Lem, let Cod do to me iu feemeth good to him, which is the mother of patience and like it makes thefe evils ( though not none,yet bey come) none to us. Thus I have done with moderation towards things, moll of whole par- ticulars mentioned, you have preit by the Apostle Paul, and by the fame argument of the Text, t Cor.7.29,30,31. The time isfhort,Itre- maineth that both that haveWives,be a though they had none:efr they that weep, ah though they wept not :and they that rejoyce,ae though they rejoyeed not : and they that buy, as though they pofeffed not : and they that sefe tbs.,: world u not abufingit : for the fafhios of this world pafeth away. And though I have Rood longer upon this than I intended, and promifed both you and my felf,in regard the fruit hung fo thick about me,that I could not but pluck force of it,and after I had tailed it,more;yet I hope it will prove fo pleafant alfo to the tafte that you will pardon me; efpecially confidering how much this moderation towards things con - duceth to that which refpec`ls perfons; (the contentions in the world arifing ufually from our want of moderation to the things of the wrold,as in civil matters it is patent,& in religious though lefs obvious, yet molt frequently as certain, that thefe are the fprìngs from which they flow:)& how neceflary it is for us all to know & practice it, for li- cit/4 perincud omnis,we ufually perifhby the hand of thefe lawful things. z. Moderation towards perfons. Having fpoken of moderation, as it reipeas our felves, for prefer- ving peace within, (this as all government having peace for its end) which appears and is made known to others by our converfation ; let us now look abroad,as we are members of the publick,and have to do with others, and fee what moderation we mull ufe for the preferving external peace. Now each Chriftian having a double capacity, as a man his civil capacity in the State; as a Chriffian, his religious capacity in the Church wherein he lives; Mull fpeak to both theft, in reference to peace Political and Ecclefiaflical; to the former more briefly, being fo near akin to to that parr we have already difpatched. a. In Civil matters. Herein we may be conliidered Actively or Poffively, 1. AEtively. We muff moderate our f,eeches that we give Ho- jrtfi provocation thereby, ac- cording to prudence. That we may neither provo-kethófe of whom,or to whom we fpeak, we mutt duly confider the nature. of the matter we fpeak of, and the quality and temper of d the per(ops concerged, 8n
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