The Lay-Man's Sermon upon the Late Storm: Held forth at an Honest Coffee-House-ConventicleDefoe, Daniel
Religion
The Lay-Man's Sermon upon the Late Storm: Held forth at an Honest Coffee-House-Conventicle
Defoe, Daniel
Bible. Nahum I, 3 -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800; Sermons; Storms -- Great Britain -- Early works to 1800
9. In short all those Gentlemen, by whatsoever Names or Titles
Distinguish'd, who repine at the Settlement, who reproach the
Tolleration, and who Blame the Queen for her promises of Maintaining
it, these abhor the thoughts of this Scandalous Crime of Moderation,
and are as Innocent of it as the Child unborne.
10. Tis the Opinion of some People, That there are some of our beloved
Friends in _Scotland_, may be Vindicated in this case, nay others are
of the Opinion, tis not a National Crime in that Country, that is,
'tis not a sin the _Scots_ are much adicted to.
11. Lastly, Take our English Clergy in general, some are ready to say
they have no great cause of Repentance for the sin of Moderation.
On the other hand, some People have so home a Charge of this Error
laid upon them, that 'twill be very hard to clear themselves of it,
and I am afraid they would be brought in Guilty by a Jury, almost
without going away from the Bar. as,
1. Our Observator, they say, is Guilty of Moderation, with Relation to
his Wit, and Especially as concerning his good Manners; I hope he wont
be prosecuted for it the next Sessions, if he should, I doubt, 'twill
go hard with him.
2. If our News-writers should be Indited for Moderation, as to Truth
of Fact, I would advise them to plead Guilty, and throw themselves
upon the Mercy of the Court.
3. Some of our Captains, they say, are addicted to Fight but
Moderately; I hope all the rest wont be Infected, but I know not what
to say to it.
4. Some of our Lawyers are apt to be very Moderate in their Justice,
but being well read in the Law are cunning enough to keep off an
Indictment, so there is no fear of them.
5. Some of our General Receivers, when they got the Publick Money in
their hands, were apt to be very Moderate in paying it out again.
6. Some have been very Moderate in giving in their accounts too, as
may appear in former Reigns, and perhaps in time to come too.
Some Moderately Wise, some Moderatly Honest, but most Immoderately
adicted to think themselves Both.
Tho' I might be a little more serious upon the matter, yet this way of
talking is not so much a Jest neither as it looks like; and has its
Moral, in it self, which a Wise man may see, and for the Fool tis no
matter whether he does or no. Custome has prevailed upon us to such a
degree, that almost in every part the very Practice seem a Scandal,
and the Word passes for a Reproach.
To say, among the Sons of _Levy_, such a man is a Moderate Church-man
is to say he is no Church-man, and some of our present Bishops from
the Practice of Moderation have been boldly call'd Presbiterians in
the Pamphlets of our less Moderate writers.
In short, 'tis hard to find any party or profession of Men among us,
that care for the Title; and those who but Moderately espouse an
Intrest, are generally suspected by those who are of that side, as
Persons Favouring their Enemies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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