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 injm-ious by waywardness and harsh censures, herein dis- paraging and discouraging the endeavours of superiors for public good. In so great weakness of man's natm-e, 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 labom* 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 inoffen- sive in om* carriage, that om* example compel them not. There is a com- manding 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 im- putable 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 ? ' Job i. 9, or slandering their persons, judging of them according to the wickedness that is in their own hearts. The de\al getteth more by such discourage- ments, 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 kill 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 censm-e towards others, not con- sidering their temptations. Some will unchurch and unbrother in a 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's caveat, that there should not ' be too many masters,' James 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, * ' A looseuess,' in A.
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althougli seemingly contrary, yet not so much blameable. 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 in- cline 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 with- out 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 aflect 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, ofiensive souls. 0 that that Spirit would breathe into om- 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 them- selves ?
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 Hght, 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.