1. In matters of civil respect and conversation. I must treat every man with that fair respect which I would have another to show to me. We must accommodate our selves to mens particular tempers, and nor be froward or intractable, or tenacious of our own humour, especially when it lies in another mans way, but we must be apt to recede and give way, that there may be room for other mens tempers and humours, as well as ours; our humour must not take up all the world. Those who want this complaisance, are in society (as one ingeniously compares them) like irregular stones in a building, which are full of roughness and corners; they take up more room than they fill, till they be polished and made even, others cannot lye near them: so men of sharp and perverse humours are unsociable, till the ruggedness and asperities of their nature be taken off. We must not carry our selves insolently, or superciliously, or contemptuously towards ⟨p. 257⟩others; we must not be contumelious, not by deed or word, countenance or gesture, declare hatred, or contempt or others. We must not upbraid one another with any imperfection, or weakness, or deformity, we must not peremptorily contradict others, we must not use to talk things displeasing to others, wherein their credit, or relations, or (especially their Religion) is concerned; Josephus saith, this was one of Moses his Laws (it was a good one whose ever it was) [Greek or Hebrew].1 Let no man blaspheme that which other Nations count a God, or make their Religion. Not but that every man may confute a false Religion, and endeavour by all fair ways to convince a Jew, or Turk, or Heathen, but we may not reproach another mans Religion, or provoke any man in ordinary conversation, by unseasonable and uncivil reflections upon it; for we are with meekness to convince gain-sayers, to reprove men for their sins, but not to upbraid them with them: We must give no offence to the Jew, or to the Gentile, remembering always that the wrath of man doth not work the Righteousness of God; and that Michael the Arch-Angel, when he contended with the Devil, did not bring a railing accusation against him; he did not revile him, no not in heat of dispute.
1. In matters of civil respect and conversation. I must treat every man with that fair respect which I would have another to shew to mee. Wee must accommodate our selves to mens particular tempers, and nor bee froward or intractable, or tenacious of our own humour, especially when it lyes in another mans way, but wee must be apt to recede and give way, that there may be room for other mens tempers and humours, as well as ours; our humour must not take up all the world. Those who want this compleasance, are in society (as one ingeniously compares them) like irregular stones in a building, which are full of roughness and corners; they take up more room than they fill, till they bee polisht and made even, others cannot lye neer them: so men of sharp and perverse humours are unsociable, till the ruggedness and asperities of their nature be taken off. Wee must not carry our selves insolently, or superciliously, or contemptuously towards ⟨p. 257⟩others; we must not be contumelious, not by deed or word, countenance or gesture, declare hatred, or contempt or others. We must not upbraid one another with any imperfection, or weakness, or deformity, wee must not peremptorily contradict others, wee must not use to talk things displeasing to others, wherein their credit, or relations, or (especially their Religion) is concerned; Josephus saith, this was one of Moses his Laws (it was a good one whose ever it was) 〈non-Latin alphabet〉.1 Let no man blaspheme that which other Nations count a God, or make their Religion. Not but that every man may confute a false Religion, and indeavour by all fair waies to convince a Jew, or Turk, or Heathen, but wee may not reproach another mans Religion, or provoke any man in ordinary conversation, by unseasonable and uncivil reflections upon it; for wee are with meekness to convince gain-sayers, to reprove men for their sins, but not to upbraid them with them: Wee must give no offence to the Jew, or to the Gentile, remembring alwaies that the wrath of man doth not work the Righteousness of God; and that Michael the Arch-Angel, when hee conrended with the Devil, did not bring a railing accusation against him; hee did not revile him, no not in heat of dispute.
- 1Antiquit. Judaic. lib. 4.
