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.

The Conclusion, propounding Examples of Moderation.

ANd now, having a few Pages left, I will fill them up with Exam∣ples, to prove, that the wisest Men, and best Christians that ever were in the World, have always been of this excellent Temper of Moderation. A Man might summon a Cloud of Witnesses, to set their Hands and Seals to the Poet's Medio tu••issimus ibis: And doth not Solomon tell the Meaning, when he saith, Turn not to the right-hand, nor to the left; remove thy Foot from Evil?

The incomparable Lord Bacon, of whom the wise King James used to say,

That he knew the Method of doing Things suavibus modis, after a mild and gentle manner.

And another Pen gives him this Character:

That he had the clearest Prospect of Things of any Man in his Age, being moderate in his Inclination, peaceable in his Mind, and yielding in his Temper. His Religion was rational and

sober, his Wit acute, his Memory faithful, his Judgment penetra∣ting, his Spirits publick; obliging to his Friend, and civil to his Enemy; constant at publick Prayers, and frequent at Sermons and Sacraments.

And yet he tells the Duke of Buckingham, That the true Protestant Religion is seated in the Golden Mean, the Enemies to her are the Extremes on either hand: Herein agreeing with the Royal Martyr,

That the true Religion established in the Church of England, keeps the middle way, between the Pomp of Superstitious Tyranny, and the Meanness of Phantastick Anarchy.

That excellent Prelate, who preached Bishop Wilkins's Funeral Ser∣mon, tells the World,

That he (the said Bishop Wilkins) looked upon it as a Piece of Phanaticalness for a Man to be vehement in little and unnecessary things, whether for or against them, any further than is commanded by lawful Superiours.

The Pious and Elegant Bishop Hall was a Man of excellent Temper and Moderation, as appears by all his Writings, especially in the Book called the Peace-maker, saying, pag. 136.

Our Charity should teach us to mince those Errors and Mistakes which we cannot sup∣press; and where we find Extremes, there to strain both Parties what we may to meet in the Mean. Thus did (saith he) the twen∣ty four African Bishops, assembled in a Synod, walk in a middle way, and cut a Thread between the Rigor on the one side, and the Indulgence on the other; and as wise Moderators are wont to do, detract something from either Party, that they might promote Peace between both. He calls Moderation, the Silken Cord, that runs through the Pearl-Chain of all Virtue.

And in the Epistle to his Peace-maker, saith, to his Reverend Brethren of the Diocess of Norwich,

That it was ever the desire of his Soul, from his first en∣trance upon his Publick Service of the Church, with Noah's Dove, to bring an Olive-Branch of Peace to the tossed Ark; but if his Wings have been too short, and the Wind too high, to carry him home with it, he must content himself with the Testimony of his faithful Endeavours. O let not (saith he) our Studies, Prayers, Tears, Counsels, Sollicitations, nor Endeavours be wanting to pro∣mote Peace; no, nor if need were, our Blood. All the whole Earth is on Fire, the Flame reaches up to Heaven; let us labour to with∣draw that Hellish Fewel, which nourisheth this fearful Combustion. Let every one pull away a Stick, and not employ himself as an In∣cendiary. As we honour the God of Peace, whom we serve; as we love the Prince of Peace, in whom we believe; as we tender the Success of the Gospel of Peace, which we preach; as we hope for

the Comfort of the Spirit of Peace in our own Bosoms; let us seek Peace where it is missing, and follow it where it flies from us.

Thus that incomparable Prelate.

And here I cannot but take notice also of the Right Reverend and Moderate Archbishop Juxon, whom King Charles the First selected for his Confessor at his Martyrdom, when he honoured him with this Testimony and Name, viz. That good Man. One who writes his Life, gives him this excellent Character,

That he was a great Be∣nefactor to St. Paul's, but greatest to the Church, which his Eminence adorned, and his Temper secured, in those Times wherein Rough∣ness enraged that Humour, which Delay and Moderation broke. In his Duty this good Man went along with Conscience; in Govern∣ment, with Time and Law. His Justice was as his Religion, clear and uniform, the Ornament of his Heart, and the Honour of his Action; neither was his Justice leavened with Rigor or Severity, but sweetned with Clemency and Goodness. He was never angry but for the Publick, and not then so much at the Person, as at the Offence. So ambitious was he of that great Glory of Moderation, that he kept it up in spite of the Times Malignity. So that tho the most thought the worse of Dr. Juxon, for the Bishop's sake; yet the best thought the better of the Bishop, for Dr. Juxon's sake.

And the pacifick Temper of Arch-Bishop Sheldon is excellently disco∣vered in a Sermon of his, preached before his Majesty, 1660, and after∣wards printed, whose Sayings deserve to be written in Letters of Gold,

That's the best and most Christian Memory (saith he) that, as Caesar's, forgets nothing but Injuries. Let us all seriously and sadly look back, consider, and bemoan one another, for what we have mutually done and suffered from each other. Let us all be sorry, and all mend, per∣fectly forgiving what is past, and returning to as great Kindness as ever; that so by all good and mutual Offices, we may make amends for our former Animosities. Shall God (saith this excellent Prelate) so great, so glorious, after so high and many Provocations, conde∣scend to be at Peace with us! And shall we poor Worms be at En∣mity among our selves, for Trifles, to the hazard of the Comforts of this Life, and the Hopes of a better? Shall we retain the Memory of former Unkindness, and make a publick Act of Oblivion which we expect, a publick Lie, without either Fear of God, or Shame of the World? Shall we change one War into another, the open into a secret one, Hostility into Treachery, and by pretending Peace, on∣ly smooth the way to Supplantation? This is the most unmanly Thing in the World.

Bishop Roynolds of Norwich was a great Pattern of this Divine Vertue, as may be seen in his incomparable Writings. Not to go back so far as Archbishop Cranmer, Ridley, Hooper, and Latimer, who loved not their Lives unto Death. Bp. Jewel, Abbot, Bilson, Davenant, Cooper, Vsher, Grindal, Prideaux, Downam, Morton; Archbishop Sands, Bp. Saunderson, Bp. Potter, Bp. Carlton, Bp. Brownrig; Mr. Capel, Mr. Palmer, Mr. Crook, Mr. Hudson, Mr. Lawson, Dr. Preston, Mr. Fenner, Mr. Bolton, Mr. Wheatly, Mr. Dent, Mr. Dike, Dr. Sibbs, Mr. Stock, Dr. Willet, Dr. Stawghton, Dr. Tho▪ Taylor, Dr. F••atly, Dr. Holdsworth, Dr. Shute.

If you would see more of this moderate and true Catholick Temper, read the Writings of Mr. Chillingworth, Mr. Hales, Mr. Jos. Mede, Dr. Jer. Taylor, late Bishop of Down and Conar, Bishop Rust, Dr. Hawton, Dr. Lightfoot, Dr. Worthington, Dr. Glanvill, the present Bishop of Hereford, Bishop of Lincoln, Bp of Cork, Dr. Stillingfleet, Dr. Tillotson, Dr. Burnet, Dr. Fowler, the Protestant Reconciler, with many more of the Clergy now living. Here I might also recommend the excellent tem∣perate Writings of some of the Laity, viz. Judg Hales, Esq Boyle, Sir Charles Woolsly, Mr. Polhill, Mr. Will. Allein, with the Author of the Samaritan, and many others.

The Reverend Dr. Goodman, in his excellent Epistle to his Sermon preached before the Lord-Mayor of London, lately, observes,

That our Animosities are arisen to that height, that we have raked the Kennels of other Countries, to find Names to stigmatize one ano∣ther; and tho we have many good Men amongst us, yet who would be a Peace-maker, when he shall be sure to be boxed on both sides, like him that parts a Fray; so that the common Friend shall be looked upon as a common Enemy, by the angry Parties.

The Sum of all that has been said of a Moderate Church-man, may be comprehended in the Character following: Viz.

He is one that loves his God, and his Religion, his King, and his Country. He shuns the dangerous Extremes, and keeps the Mean of Christian Modera∣tion; neither causeth Schisms in the Church, nor Factions in the State. He is neither fond of needless Ritualities, nor yet molested with groundless Scruples; neither worships Images nor Imaginations, but submits to the Customs of the Country, tho not to the Iniquities of the Times. By his ab∣horrence of all Sin, he declares he thinks none venial; and by the Regularity of his Conversation, he shews he expects no Indulgence: And as he doth not think by good Works to merit Heaven; so he endeavours, that he may not by bad ones deserve Hell. He takes more pains to make good his Baptismal Covenant, than to wrangle about the Mode of its Administration, as if he were baptized with the Waters of Strife. And he is more concerned to

prove himself a good Christian, than to prove who is Antichrist: Nor doth be so contend about the Number of the Elect, as to reprobate himself for want of Charity. He thinks it very unseasonable to dispute about the Colour of a Garment, when our Enemies are endeavouring to cloath us with the Scarlet Tincture of our own Blood. He had rather use a set Form of Prayer, than have the Service in an unknown Tongue; and submit to the reverent Gesture of Kneeling, than swallow the Doctrine of Transubstantiation. Whether the chief Ecclesiastical Officer be called a Bishop, or a Presbyter; or the Communion-Board, a Table, or an Altar, he is not so much concerned as to disturb the Peace of the Church about it. He is a true Catholick Christian, neither Papist nor Separatist, and loves all good Men, by what Names or Titles soever dignified or distinguished; and ne're thinks the worse of an honest Man, if Malice gives him an ill Name, because he knows Men by their Fruits. He doth not baptize his Religion with the Name of a Sect, nor espouse the Quarrel of a Party: Nor is he guilty of the Corinthian Va∣nity, in crying up a Paul, an Apollos, or a Cephas; but looks upon it as the great Design of Christianity to make Men good, and knows where it hath not that effect, it matters not much what Church such a Man is of, because a bad Man can be saved in none. He is one that is sober without Formali∣ty, chearful without Levity, prudent without Stratagem, and religious without Affectation; can be sociable without revelling, angry without swear∣ing, and zealous without quarrelling: One in whom Nature and Grace, Piety and Prudence are so excellently poized, that it may be a Question, whether his Wisdom or Goodness be most evident, because both are covered with a Vail of Humility. He thinks he may lawfully hold Communion with any true Church of Christ, where the Substance of Religion is sound, main∣taining neither Heresy in Doctrine, nor Idolatry in Worship, notwithstanding some different circumstantial Modes of Administration: And he believes, if Almighty God damn us all for such Things, which streight-laced, narrow-soul'd Christians damn one another, none could be saved: And therefore he had rather give an Account to a merciful God for too much Charity, than for too great Censoriousness, as well knowing he that is guilty of so great a Crime, hath lost half the Religion of a Christian, and hath exchan∣ged one of the fairest Graces of a Saint, for one of the blackest Characters of a Devil. In a Word, He is one that mends the Times more by his good Example, than by his Clamours. And when other Men, by their secret Conspiracies, scandalous Immoralities, causless Divisions, and venemous Pamphlets, are plotting the Ruine of the Kingdom, the Language of his Heart and Tongue is,

God save the King.