Moderation a virtue, or, A vindication of the principles and practices of the moderate…Moderation a vertue, or, A vindication of the principles and practices of the moderate…

First, doth it become a moderate Man to be so positive, as to say, after an imaginary, oratorical Description of a Lay moderate Man, such as I and others never knew, This (saith the Preacher) is no Fiction of mine, no Creature of my Fancy, but Matter of Fact, visible to every Eye, p. 37. That it is not difficult to prove, such Men act against their Conscience; for really, a moderate Man, in the common Notion, if examined, is but a softer Phrase for a Knave, pag. 48.

Upon this Character of a moderate Lay-man, drawn pag. 36. I make some Observations, and in the general observe, That he takes some Parts and Virtues of a very honest Man, to make a Knave of: As, 1. He is one who will frequent the Public Churches. 2. One who will seem devout at Divine Service, (and who doth to us, and our Eye, more than seem.) 3. One who talks much for Union, and wishes for it, but sees no Evil in Schism: Whereas, what can move him to wish for Union, but the Good of Union, and the Evil of Schism? And I would fain know what Benefit any Knave can make of Union? If he only talked for Union, and did not wish for it, and if this might be known, it were like a moderate Man in the softer Phrase; but if he talks much of Union, and wishes for it, he talks and wishes like an honest Man. 4. Suppose him to be one who thinks he doth God good Service, and takes a good Course to promote Peace by frequenting unlawful Meetings, and yet is clearly for the Religion established by Law. Yet under favour, 1. Suppose he may be mistaken ⟨p. 27⟩in thinking so, for all that he may be a very honest Man, for honest Men are subject to Mistakes. 2. If he mistake in the way to promote Peace, for all that he may be very honest. 3. If he thinks those Meetings which you call unlawful, that is to say, Meetings of Orthodox Preachers and Christians, consistent with the Religion established by Law, he may be a wise, discerning, honest Man, and doth distinguish between the Religion, and the mutable Appendages to which he never subscribed, or declared, being but a Lay-man. But then,

Upon this Character of a moderate Lay-man, drawn pag. 36. I make some Observations, and in the general observe, That he takes some Parts and Vertues of a very honest Man, to make a Knave of: As, 1. He is one who will frequent the Publick Churches. 2. One who will seem devout at Divine Service, (and who doth to us, and our Eye, more than seem.) 3. One who talks much for Union, and wishes for it, but sees no Evil in Schism: Whereas, what can move him to wish for Union, but the Good of Union, and the Evil of Schism? And I would fain know what Benefit any Knave can make of Union? If he only talkt for Union, and did not wish for it, and if this might be known, it were like a moderate Man in the softer Phrase; but if he talks much of Union, and wishes for it, he talks and wishes like an honest Man. 4. Suppose him to be one who thinks he doth God good Service, and takes a good Course to promote Peace by frequenting unlawful Meetings, and yet is clearly for the Religion established by Law. Yet under favour, 1. Suppose he may be mistaken