A70766:248
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.
But alas! the Moderate Christian, the most perfect Piece of Grace in this Life, is but an imperfect Piece, if you turn up the Robe of Righteousness in which he is justified before God, and view him, as having Sin yet dwelling in him, and groaning under his Body of Death. And it will prove too true of the unskilful Hand that represents him, as Pliny said of Painters; Pictores pulchram absolutamque faciem raro nisi in pejus effingunt.
First; A Moderate Christian is a Man renewed after the Image of Christ; if he is not renewed, with all his Acquisitions and Formalities, he is but an heartless Image of a living Image of his Maker.
Hence you may understand that the reason why there are so many Exorbitancies, Extravagances, and Excesses among Men, is, because there are so many that prove not to be real living Christians; and why Christians themselves are defective in their Moderation, is, because they are short-sighted, too much conceited, and not enough mortified.
Hence you may understand that the reason why there are so many Exorbitancies, Extravagancies, and Excesses among Men, is, because there are so many that prove not to be real living Christians; and why Christians themselves are defective in their Moderation, is, because they are short-sighted, too much conceited, and not enough mortified.