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The negative characater of a bishop now follows, showing what he must not be.
Not given to wine; that is, to much wine, no inordinate lover either of wine or strong drink, no wine-bibber, no sitter at wine in his own house, much less at taverns and public houses:
no striker, either with hands or tongue, no quarreller, that cannot keep his hand from hurting, no word-striker, no striker with the tongue, and passion, and anger; a word, we say, wounds deeper than a sword; the ministers of God may wound the consciences of men with the sword of the Spirit, but they must not wound the reputations of men with their own wrathful spirits; we must use our tongues rather to heal than wound, or if at any time to wound, it must be in order to healing:
not guilty of filthy lucre; no inordinate lover of money, which makes a man base and sordid, both in getting, keeping, and spending:
but patient, meek, and forbearing, not rigidly exacting his due, not acting summo jure, but rather parting with somewhat which in strictness may be his right for peace-sake;
not a brawler, or contentious person, often engaged in law-suits, but of a mild and peaceable disposition;
not covetous, or enslaved to the love of wealth; possess he may the good things of this life, but not be possessed by them.