Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…

LVI. 1. A Christian indeed is one whose Holiness usually maketh him an eyesore to the ungodly world, and his charity, and peaceableness, and moderation maketh him to be censured as not strict enough, by the superstitious and dividing sects of Christians. For seeing the Church hath suffered between these two sorts of opposers, ever since the suffering of Christ himself, it cannot be but the solid Christian offend them both, because he hath that which both dislike. All the ungodly hate him for his holiness, which is cross to their interest and way; and all the Dividers will censure him for that universal charity, and moderation which is against their factious and destroying zeal (described, Jam. 3.) Even Christ himself was not strict enough (in superstitious observances) for the ceremonious, zealous Pharisees: He transgressed (with his Disciples) the tradition of the Elders, in neglecting their observances, who transgressed the commandment of God by their tradition, Matth. 15.2, 3. He was not strict enough in their uncharitable observation of the Sabbath day, Matth. 12.2. John that was eminent for falling, they ⟨p. 158⟩said, had a Devil: The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous and a wine bibber, a friend of Publicans and sinners: But wisdom is justified of her Children, Mat. 11.18, 19. And the weak Christians, Rom. 14.1, 2, 3. did censure those that durst eat those meats and do those things, which they conceived to be unlawful: They that err themselves, and make God a Service which he never appointed, will censure all as lukewarm, or temporizers, or wide conscienced men, that err not with them, and place not their Religion in such superstitious observances, as Touch not, taste not, handle not, &c. Col. 2.18, 21, 22, 23. And the raw censorious Christians are offended with the Charitable Christian, because he damneth not as many and as readily as they, and shutteth not enow out of the number of believers, and judgeth not rigorously enough of their ways. In a word, he is taken by one sort to be too strict, and by the other to be too compliant or indifferent in Religion, because he placeth not the Kingdom of God in meats and days, and such like circumstances, but in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost,