EpiftleofS. Patr1to rito!. faces of the poore, and raite thy felfeby the undoingofmany; doll thou not commitextreme wrong,euen when thou canft fhrowd thy felfe vn- der the kaue ache lave? Now this vertue fleppeth in, and faith,this is not a cafe wherein extremity is tobe vfed,thoumails not by the lave of God doe that, which by mans lawe thoumails doe : here is a cafe where- in thecourt ofman may faue thee harmeleffe, but the court of thy con fcience, and the court ofheaueu, will adiudge thee iufily a linnet for it. Obiei.b. But doe you fo commit thefelawes together, as you make chele pofitiue laves contrary toGods,orcondemocthem aswicked and vniuft ? Anf.No, but a. not the lawe,but thy felfe art vniuft in claiming the liriót meaningand rigour ofthelaw, when the ruleofequity & cha- rity requireth mitigation &moderation. z, Euen this moderation of the law,tttay not impaire or detratk frompublique iutiice,or publike peace, which are as the heart and braine of the common wealth, which is an o- thercommon ex remity,which careleffe and inconfiderate men fal into: who beeingcalled to be feruants to iuftice, as to iuries , fearing leali in following the letter of the lawc,the}t fhould be iniuriousidoe not remit and moderate,bucmaime and wound the !awe and commonwealth,and either finde and execute no forfeits, or penalties vpon fome outragious offenders, againli whome the lave fhould bewhetted , or fuch as rather turne to the difgrace ofiufiicethen the adminifiring ofit. Yfe. Let vs confider then whereunto we are here called; even to the praaifeofchat propertieofwi fdom, whichisfromaboue,which is peace- able andgentle;& tobuckle untovs as theeletl-of God,tender mercie, bind- nes, bumblerefe of mind,meebenefe, long fnfering, forbearing one no other, andforgiuing one another. The benefit will be exceeding grear. For, 1. this wifedometeacheth vs tobe loft in our fpeaches, as they that know how a loft aufwer breaketh wrath : a rare example whereof wee haue ín Iudg. 8. 2. when themen ofEphraimwere incenfed againli Gedeon, and chidde him fharpely, becaufe hecalled not them withhim againfi the Midianites : rowgleaning ( faith Ike) is better rhea oar vintage: as though he had laid, the glorie of the at1ion belongeth as much or muchmore to you then to vs, we Abiezerits did not halfe fo much good by difcomfiting the boa, as youdid by purfuing after it; and by this loft anfwer the text faith, theirfpirits wereabated, ver.3. The like mull wee doe in our reafoningg, whether (Indents or others ,whether by confe- rence or difputation, by word or bywriting; we mull paffe by fomeha- fiie words, which flefh in the heateofit, will be calling in to the hinde- ringof the worke of edification : for whereas men thinke it a point of pregnancie ofwit,to returne quips nimbly, and giue his aduerlatie as good as he bringeth, we mufi knowe,that heavenly wifedorne teacheth O o 2 no CHAP.3. 2 581 Iam:.. ZW/IIx.Mr. Colo(f.3,ta,ti tdeceffitie of this.grace. I Agood rule for diiputants. .-
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