394 In what things mull rve rife Moderation, Serm. i 6. eqaii boni facit omnia.:I.By a prudent diffembling them, i Sam. i 0.27. Bya_charitable z. covering them (Prov. ro. i2.) 3. Interpreting them ; not putting any finifter interpretation but moll favourable, not agravating the offence, i Cor. I3.5, & 7. 4. Admon.fhing them, Matth.I8. i 5. Gal.6. t Laillÿ, pardoning them ; forbearing one ano- ther, and forgiving one anpther, &C Colof.3.13. 2. We tnuß moderate our p"f ens in their due exercife,in cafe of greater wilful o ffences,according to the nature and quality thereof. Our anger towards fuch offenders, averfatìon of them, feverity with them, and the like; avoiding of and fuppreflïng all wrath , envy, malice, re- venge and the like tinfull pallions that have the Itamp of Hell upon them, (lames 3.15.) which come thence and lead thither, Gal. 5, :o, & 21. In Gods caufe we muff be angry, egainft fin ; and in the pub - lick's againft the impedimen s of peace and truth,Neh.5.6. A. 17. r 6. (but thefe I am not fpeakirg of) in our own we may be angry, but we muff not fin. Ephef. 4.26. Whofoever is angry with his brother without a caufe,,tall be in danger of the 7udVement, faith our bleffed Saviour, Mat. 5.22. In which three things are confiderable. 1. With whom, and that's clearly the Offnders, not every one that's next us. 2. For what, which the Philofopher, and all acknowledge difficult to deter- mine, being in particulars; the only help is from the confideration of the quality of the offence. i. Not for every trifle, but material in felf or in it's confcquence. z. Not for natural defects and weak -, nefhes, as when they are flow of parts, weak of ftrcngth or the like, and can do no better; ( here we may find fault and admoniflr gently to quicken, not be angry to difcourage, thofe we have power over, or interell in.) 3. Nor for purely involuntary, and cafual offences fuch as no due circumfpedion could prevent. But for errors and rnif}akes which might have been avoided,carelefsnefs and negligence in the do- ing or omif ion ; wilfulnefs or malicioufnefs in the end for which others ofEnd us. When thef. appear,and as they appear more or lefs, we may be angty ; leafl for the firft, more with the next, and moft with the fall of wilfulnefs and malice. Laftly, the meafure of our paf- fion is conlderable, which muff not be beyond the nature of fuch of- fences in the degree or duration. Be , ?ngry , and fin not , (the farne words in the Original the Septu,gint renders `Pfal. 4.4. by, Land , in awe , and fin not , when we are angry with others, we had need Eland in awe of God that we fin not) let not the Sten go down upon thy wrath, neither give place to the Devil. Ephef. 4. 26, 27. i.e. we Mutt neither too deeply nor too lor:g be angry, left ale Devil
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