'Tis too unhappy for England, that Men of immoderate Principles are so powerfull as they are. Let the Party be which it will, tis Destruction even to themselves, to run up all their Niceties and all their Scruples to the Extremes. Every Dispute becomes a Feud, every Spark a Flame, every word a Blow, every Blow, a Civil-War, and by this Intestine Confusion of Principles, Backt with the Passion and Fury of Men, this unhappy Nation is Subdivided into an Infinite Number of Parties, Factions, Intrests and seperate Opinions.
Every Man being thus bent upon the propagation of his own Notion, for want of this healing Spirit of Moderation, falls foul upon his Neighbour because he has not the same Heat, and if he finds him better Temper'd than himself, if he finds him less Violent, less Furious, than himself, he is Imediately Branded with the Scandal of Moderation.
Since then the Change of times has made this Practice, which in its very Nature is a Foundation of Vertue, become a Crime, Let us examine who are, and who are not Guilty of it.
For the Negatives of this Vice of Moderation they are something Easier to be discover'd than ordinary, both in Principles and in Practice; and, without the Scandal of a Censorious Writer, I may be allowed to say all the following Instances may stand clear of this Crime.
1. If Mr. Sachaverell, with his Bloody Flag, and Banner of Defiance, were Indicted for Moderation, I verily believe no Jury would bring him in Guilty.
2. If Dr. J——ne, Author of the Character of a Low-Churchman, Mr. —— Author of the New Association, if a famous Bishop who told us, 'twould never be well with England till all the Dissenters were serv'd like the Hugonots in France, if any of these were Indicted for Moderation, they might safely plead not Guilty.
3. If Sir John Friend and Sir William Parkins, had been only accus'd for Moderation, they had never been Hanged, nor Collyer and Cook had never absolv'd them at the Gallows without Repentance.
4. If he were Hang'd for Moderation, who ask'd the Question, whether if the Play-house in Dorset-Garden, were let for a Meeting-house, 'twould not do more harm than tis like to do as a Theatre, he would certainly Dye Innocently.
5. If Fuller had been Voted an Incorrigible Rogue only for the Vice of Moderation, I should have thought the House of Commons had done him wrong.
6. If the Councellors of the late King, such as Father P——, my Lord S—— and all those that betray'd their Master, by hurrying on his ruin and their own. If those Gentlemen were Charged with Moderation, I doubt we should wrong them.