Governors should be tender of weak ones, and also private Christians

SO in the censures of the church, it is more suitable to the spirit of Christ to incline to the milder part, and not to kill a fly on the forehead with a beetle, nor shut men out of heaven for a trifle. The very snuffers of the tabernacle were made of pure gold to shew the purity of those censures, whereby the light of the church is kept bright. That power that is given to the church is given for edification, not destruction. How careful was St. Paul, that the incestuous Corinthian, 2 Cor. ii. 7, repenting should not be swallowed up with too much grief, As for civil magistrates, they for civil exigences and reasons of state, must let the law have its course; yet thus far they should imitate this mild king, as not to mingle bitterness and passion with authority derived rot God. Authority is a beam of God’s majesty, and prevaileth most where there is least mixture of that which is man’s, It requireth more than ordinary wisdom to manage it aright. This string must not be too much strained up, nor too much let loose. Justice is an harmonical thing. Herbs hot or cold beyond a certain degree, kill. We see even contrary elements preserved in one body by a wise contemperation. Justice in rigour is oft extreme injustice, where some considerable circumstances should incline to moderation ; and the reckoning will be easier for bending rather to moderation dhan rigour.

Insolent carriage toward! miserable persons, if humbled, is unseemly in any who look for mercy themselves. Misery should be a loadstone of mercy, not a footstool for pride to trample on.

Sometimes it falleth out that those that are under the government of others, are most injurious by waywardness and harsh censures, herein disparaging and discouraging the endeavours of superiors for public good. In so great weakness of man’s nature, and especially in this crazy age of the world, we ought to take in good part any moderate happiness we enjoy by government; and not be altogether as a nail in the wound, exasperating things by misconstruction. Here love should have a mantle to cast upon lesser’ errors of those above us. Oftentimes the poor man is the oppressor by unjust clamours ; we should labour to give the best interpretation to the actions of governors that the nature of the actions will possibly bear.

In the last place there is something for private Christians, even for all of us in our common relations to take notice of: we are debtors to the weak in many things.

1, Let us be watchful in the use of our liberty, and labour to be inoffensive in our carriage, that our example compel them not. ‘There is a commanding force in an example, as Peter, Gal. ii. Looseness of life is cruelty to ourselves, and to the souls of others, though we cannot keep them from perishing which will perish, in regard of the event; yet if we do that which is apt of itself to destroy the souls of others, their ruin is imputable to us.

2. Let men take heed of taking up Satan’s office, in depraving the good actions of others, as he did Job's, doth he serve God for nought? or slandering their persons, judging of them according to the wickedness that is in their own hearts. The devil getteth more by such discouragements, and these reproaches that are cast upon religion, than by fire and fagot. These, as unseasonable frosts, nip all gracious offers in the bud; and as much as in them lieth, with Herod, labour to hill Christ in young professors. A Christian is a hallowed and a sacred thing, Christ’s temple ; and he that destroyeth his temple, him will Christ destroy, 1 Cor. iii. 17.

3. Amongst the things that are to be taken heed of, there is amongst private Christians a bold usurpation of censure towards others, not considering their temptations. Some will unchurch and unbrother in 2 passion. But distempers do not alter true relations, though the child in a fit should disclaim the mother, yet the mother will not disclaim the child.

There is therefore in these judging times good ground of St. James his caveat, that there should not be too many masters, Jam. iii. 1; that we should not smite one another by hasty censures, especially in things of an indifferent nature; some things are as the mind of him is that doth them, or doth them not; for both may be unto the Lord.

A holy aim in things of a middle nature makes the judgments of men, although seemingly contrary, yet not so much blamable. Christ, for the good aims he seeth in us, overlooketh any ill in them, so far as not to lay it to our charge.

Men must not be too curious in prying into the weaknesses of others; we should labour rather to see what they have that is for eternity, to incline our heart to love them, than into that weakness which the spirit of God will in time consume, to estrange us: some think it strength of Grace to endure nothing in the weaker, whereas the strongest are readiest to bear with the infirmities of the weak.

Where most holiness is, there is most moderation, where it may be without prejudice of piety to God and the good of others: we see in Christ a marvellous temper of absolute holiness, with great moderation, in this text. . What had become of our salvation if he had stood upon terms, and not stooped thus low unto us? We need not affect to be more holy than Christ, it is no flattery to do as he doth, so it be to edification.

The Holy Ghost is content to dwell in smoky offensive souls; oh that that spirit would breathe into our spirits the like merciful disposition! We endure the bitterness of wormwood, and other distasteful plants and herbs, only because we have some experience of some wholesome quality in them; and why should we reject men of useful parts and graces, only for some harshness of disposition, which, as it is offensive to us, so grieveth themselves ?

Grace whilst we live here is in souls, which as they are unperfectly renewed, so they dwell in bodies subject to several humours, which will incline the soul sometimes to excess in one passion, sometimes to excess in another.

Bucer was a deep and a moderate divine; upon long experience he resolved to refuse none in whom he saw (aliquid Christi) something of Christ.

The best Christians in this state of imperfection are like gold that is a little too light, which needs some grains of allowance to make it pass. You must grant the best their allowance. We must supply out of our love and mercy, that which we see wanting in them.

The church of Christ is a common hospital, wherein all are in some measure sick of some spiritual disease or other; that we should all have ground of exercising mutually the spirit of wisdom and meekness.

This that we may the better do, let us put upon ourselves the spirit of Christ. The spirit of God carrieth a majesty with it. Corruption will hardly yield to corruption in another. Pride is intolerable to pride. The weapons of this warfare must not be carnal, 2 Cor. x. 4. The great apostles would not set upon the work of the ministry, until they were clothed as it were with power from on high, Luke xxiv. 49. The Spirit will only work with his own tools. And we should think what affection Christ would carry to the party in this case. That great physician, as he had a quick eye and a healing tongue, so had he a gentle hand, and a tender heart.

And secondly, put upon us the condition of him whom we deal withal: we are, or have been, or may be such: make the case our own, and withal consider in what near relation a Christian standeth unto us, even as a brother, a fellow-member, heir of the same salvation, And therefore let us take upon ourselves a tender care of them every way; and especially in cherishing the peace of their consciences. Conscience is a tender and delicate thing, and so must be used, It is like a lock, if the wards be troubled, it will be troublesome to open.