Taylor - Houston-Packer Collection BS2755 .T394 1619

CyAP.I.ó. I$o yf.órr, Wherein the Vatue oftern. perance Rand- eth. Meants.to ae tame it. Pron.16.; z. 2 v3Commentarie upon the nitie with that,whichwe call a right temperament,or conaitution; whe- ther ofhumors in thebody , or affcótions in the foule : which is , when none is predominant, but one of them isequallymixed and qualified by another ; as firongwine is tempered andallaied with water : and im- plyeth that the Miniller by reafon,wifedome,and religionefpecially,ei- ther allay,or breake off the headines, and violenceof thofe troublefome luPs and affecStions,which may otherwife molefl him, and exceedingly prejudicehim in the workes of his calling. This vertue then (landing in the moderation ofour defrres, in thevfe ofall the gifts and liberties we enioy ; as alto in laying a law vpon our felues , that no inordinate lull beare fway in vs: it canuot but be molt neccffarie in a Minifler ; who may not eitherin his private courfe vnfit himfelfe to the performance of his calling; by the immoderate affeétion or vfe ofany externall libertie, as of meate, drinke, recreation, riches: much leffe in his publike executionmay he adminifter holy things;as the word, facraments,prayer, according to dillemperedpaffion or affeótion, as ofanger, forrow, lightnes,or any fuch. And further, as it is a great prefetuatiue in him ofanequable and confiant Chriflian courfe ; fo is it alto a great nourifher ofhis inward quiet, and outward peace: & fopro- cureth his freedomevetominilleriall duties; which about all ocher re- quire that a man fttould be wholly his owne , and the Churches : for it bringeth downe high thoughts, and proportioneth the miede veto fuch an eilate as becommeth the 6rnplicityof the Gofpel:it cuttethoff all af- feétatiou of flare, pompe, fumpcuoufnes, and fuperfluities aboue that which becommeth a Minifler of Chril: which things make rich men in- deed, but pooreMiniflers for the molt part. Now the meanes to artaine this vernie, are twoefpecially. a. the de- Mall of a mans felfe, with a daily inuring ones felfe to the crucifying of his affe6tions and lulls. Paul beat downe his bodie as with clubs, and kept it veder. Proouemalleries with thy felfe,arnre thy felfs againfl thy feite, make warre without truce vpon thy felfe: it is a warre without bloodfhed, hurting none, no not thy fclfe: but profitable to worke thy peace with God, with thy Idle, with others:remember Salomon fpeach, Nee that rtsleth her miede , isbetter then het' that oxerconsmeth a tine, a. Przier:forneither this nor any other verniegrowethin our own grounds: neither good nature, nor freedomeofwill can make this fitpply; but we mutt haue recourfe to the father of lights : our felues are but our ow;re burdens, of fo miferable molde, as we need no other enemies then our felues, to depriue our felues ofour good, if the Lord befriend vs not; whomwemull wralle withall by our prayers,and ifwe wouldpreuaile, voto our prayers we mutt fometimes ioyne the exercife offafing,whith (,after.

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