Ob[trv. 5· / A11 E_xpojition, )Vitb Notes poffible; and M much tU i~a yau IJeth, &c. Deal with God, treat yield, ~mplywich men, as far as you c~n wtth Religion and agood Confctence: 2 Thef.3.16. The Lordgzveyou peace alwa]l, and bJ all means, &c. We mufi be earneR with the Lord,ufe all ways and means with man: You lhbuld not fiick at your own, inte~efis and concernments. Curtim an Heathen ran into the Gulph to'fave his Country. Nfl~ian~en faith, IF I be the JonP~h, throw me into the Sea to allay the,fiorm. U fually we G:ick here; Allfee/z_their own things,_and not the thing~of{efm Chrift,_ Phi/.2. 20. Nay mofUy our ll:nfes are for carnal mterdl:s, ·foveratgnty and greatnefs, who lhall bear fway : as the Difciples were in controverfte, Who jbou!d be greateft,till their no~(e awakened Chrifis zeal. Oh conftder, the Lord himfelf hath given us a fair pattern : One end why he abolith. ed the Ceremonial Law,wasfor Peace fake, Ephe[.2.15 ,1 6, 17.And though we cannot ,quit Ordinances, becaufe they are not in our power, yet certainly there may be a fufpenfion ofpratl:ife, or a for.; bearance of profdiion in mam~sof aldf~r or lower importance fo~ Jhe better advantage of Religton. As mNature many things aa: contrary to tbe rule of their particular nature, for the confervation · of the Univerfe : So many of the fm:dler things of Religion may be forborn for the general Peace. ·rwere good to confider how far the cafe ofcontinuing Circumcifton may be a prefidenr. 5. From the next qualification obferve, That true \\Jifdom 14. _gem/e .: The w0rd is 61nHI(,Hf, Be~a rendereth it tfiC}tta, equal, or juft \tith m~deration; {o .we tranOate 61n~I(,H~.1 Phil.4. 5· Let your modfration In k_nown to all men : Elfewhere we tranflate it by pa– tience; the Deac0n mufi be 61nHI(,~f,patient,I Tim: 3·3· When men !land upon terms ofextream right, contentions are ingendered, and all patience is lofi .: This gemlenefs then is ·oppofite to feverity of praai{es, and rigour ~fcenfures, and infobriet] ofdi,rpntes. And fo a truly wife -Chrifiian is moderate, I~ In his Cenfures; not al– ways making the worfi of matters, but ·charitably and fiworably judging,where things are capable of a candid interpretation : Thofe d.x.et{2oJ'II(,~Iol, that examine all things by rules of extream right, and ufe harder terms then the quality ofmans atlions requireth, though thty would feem more wife and quick.fighted then others, lhew that they wane much of this true wifdom which ~he Apofile commendetb : Auf\erity is th~, note of .folly; Wife Chrifiians, in weighing an action, alw_ays~at\ in the allowance of human_efra!lty. · :z. In
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=