A70766:223
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…
Moderation a virtue, or, A vindication of the principles and practices of the moderate divines and laity of the Church of England represented in some late immoderate discourses, under the nick-names of Grindalizers and Trimmers / by a lover of moderation, resident upon his cure ; with an appendix, demonstrating that parish-churches are no conventicles ... in answer to a late pamphlet entitled, Parish-churches turned into conventicles, &c.Moderation a vertue, or, A vindication of the principles and practices of the moderate divines and laity of the Church of England represented in some late immoderate discourses, under the nick-names of Grindalizers and Trimmers / by a lover of moderation, resident upon his cure ; with an appendix, demonstrating that parish-churches are no conventicles ... in answer to a late pamphlet entitled, Parish-churches turned into conventicles, &c.
London: printed for Jonathan Robinson, 1683
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And if it were not that we are to show our Moderation to All Men, we could not forbear Complaints and deep Resentments of the Carriage of our Conforming Brethren, who in many Sermons and Printed Discourses, do represent us as if we were a dangerous sort of Men, to Church and State. We are not insensible of the things in which we cannot, and therefore have not concurred with them, which may give them Offence. We have not declined, when we had occasion and opportunity, to give our Reasons for our forbearing, or refusing to make up the number with them, with which we are still satisfied, and never saw any Reason to change our Judgments, and to give us cause to repent, as for an Omission of any Duty. But we will steadfastly show a Moderation of Meekness and Patience, and bear what's fit for us to bear. We will not make our loud Complaints under the many Censures, Representations, and Misconstructions that are thrown upon us; for indeed they are but a bundle of Sticks and not of Rods; and by our Moderation we will pile and bundle them, as Protagoras did his bundle of Sticks, so handsomely, that they will be lighter by their bundling up. But why we should be misrepresented to the World we can see no cause, but what calls for our Commiseration. It is some kind of Surprise to us to read and hear in public what hath not been as much as whispered to us in private.
And if it were not that we are to shew our Moderation to All Men, we could not forbear Complaints and deep Resentments of the Carriage of our Conforming Brethren, who in many Sermons and Printed Discourses, do represent us as if we were a dangerous sort of Men, to Church and State. We are not insensible of the things in which we cannot, and therefore have not concurred with them, which may give them Offence. We have not declined, when we had occasion and opportunity, to give our Reasons for our forbearing, or refusing to make up the number with them, with which we are still satisfied, and never saw any Reason to change our Judgments, and to give us cause to repent, as for an Omission of any Duty. But we will stedfastly shew a Moderation of Meekness and Patience, and bear what's fit for us to bear. We will not make our loud Complaints under the many Censures, Representations, and Misconstructions that are thrown upon us; for indeed they are but a bundle of Sticks and not of Rods; and by our Moderation we will pile and bundle them, as Protogoras did his bundle of Sticks, so handsomly, that they will be lighter by their bundling up. But why we should be misrepresented to the World we can see no cause, but what calls for our Commiseration. It is some kind of Surprize to us to read and hear in publick what hath not been as much as whispered to us in private.