with greater Endearments Iohn 21. 15 16 17. which teacheth us to forgive and forget the Unkindnesses of those that we are satisfied are for the main our true Friends and if any occasion of Difference happen to turn it into an occasion of confirming our love to them as the Apostle expresseth it 2 Cor. 2. 8. 3. He was very meek towards his Enemies that hated and persecuted him The whole Story of his Life is fill'd with instances of invincible Meekness while he endur'd the Contradiction of Sinners against himself which was a constant Jarr yet he had a perpetual Serenity and Harmony within himself and was never in the least discomposed by it When his Preaching and Miracles were cavill'd at and reproached and he himself represented under the blackest Characters not only as the Drunkard's Companion but as the Devil 's Confederate with what a wonderful calmness did he bear it How mildly did he answer with Reason and Tenderness when he could have replyed in Thunder and Lightning How well satisfied under all such invidious Reflections with this that Wisdom is however justified of all her Children Mat 11. 19. When some of his Disciples would have had Fire from Heaven upon those rude People that refused him Entertainment in their Town he was so far from complying with the Motion that he rebuked it Luke 9. 55. Ye know not what manner of Spirit ye are of This perswasion cometh not of him that calleth you Gal. 5. 8. The design of Christ and of his Holy Religion is to shape Men into a mild and merciful Temper and to make them sensibly tender of the Lives and Comforts even of their worst Enemies Christianity was intended to revive Humanity and to make those Men who had made themselves Beasts But our Lord Jesus did in a more especial manner evidence his Meekness when he was in his last sufferings that awful Scene Tho' he was the most innocent and the most excellent Person that ever was who by the Doctrine he had preach'd and the Miracles he had wrought had richly deserved all the Honours and Respects that the World could pay him and infinitely more and tho' the Injuries he received were ingeniously and industriously contrived to the highest degree of Affront and Provocation yet he bore all with an undisturbed Meekness and with that Shield quench'd all the fiery Darts which his malicious Enemies shot at him His Meekness towards his Enemies appear'd 1. In what he said to them not one angry word in the midst of all the Indignities they offer'd him When he was reviled he reviled not again 1 Pet. 2. 23. When he was buffeted and spit upon and abused he took it all patiently one would wonder at the gracious words which even then proceeded out of his Mouth witness that mild reply to him that smote him Ioh. 18. 23. If I have spoken evil bear witness of the evil but iâ— well why smitest thou me 2. In what he said to God for them Father forgive them so giving an Example to his own Rule Mat. 5. 44. Pray for them which despitefully use you Though he was then deeply engaged in the most solemn Transaction that ever pass'd between Heaven and Earth tho' he had so much to do with God for himself and his Friends yet he did not forget to put up this Prayer for his Enemies The mercy he begg'd of God for them was the greatest Mercy that which he was then dying to purchase and procure the pardon of their sins not only Father spare them or reprieve them but Father forgive them the Excuse he pleaded for them was the best their Crime was capable of They know not what they do They did it ignorantly Acts 3. 27. 1 Cor. 2. 8. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Now in all these things our Master hath left us an Example What is the Practice of Religion but the Imitation of God endeavour'd by us And what the Principle of it but the Image of God renewed in us We are bid to be followers of God as dear Children But this sets the Copy we are to write after at a mighty distance for God is in Heaven and we are upon Earth and therefore in the Lord Iesus Christ God incarnate God in our Nature the Copy is brought among us and the transcribing of it in some measure appears more practicable He that hath seen me saith Christ hath seen the Father John 14. 9. and so he that imitates Christ imitates the Father The Religion which our Lord Jesus came into the World to establish being every way so well calculated for the Peace and Order of the World and being design'd to recover the lapsed Souls of Men from their degenerate State and to sweeten their Spirits and Temper and so to befriend humane Society and to make it some way conformable to the blessed Society above he not only gave such Precepts as were wonderfully fitted to this great end but recommended them to the World by the loveliness and amiableness of his own Example Are we not called Christians from Christ whom we call Master and Lord and shall we not endeavour to accommodate our selves to him We profess to rejoyce in him as our Fore-runner and shall we not run after him To what purpose were we listed under his Banner but that we might follow him as our Leader We have all of us reason to say that Jesus Christ is very meek or else we that have provok'd him so much and so often had been in Hell long ago We owe it to his Meekness to whom all Judgment is committed that we have not e're this been carryed away with a swift Destruction and dealt with according to the desert of our sins which if duly considered one would think should tend greatly to the mollifying of us The Apostle fetcheth an Argument from that Kindness and Love to us which we our selves have experienced who were Foolish and Disobedient to perswade us to be gentle and to shew all Meekness Tit. 3. 2 3 4. and he beseecheth the Corinthians by the Meekness and Gentleness of Christ as a thing very winning and of dear and precious account 2 Cor. 10. 1. Let the same mind therefore be in us not only which was but which as we find to our comfort still is in Christ Iesus Phil. 2. 5. That we may not forfeit our Interest in his Meekness let us tread in the steps of it and as ever we hope to be like him in Glory hereafter let us study to be like him in Grace in this Grace now It is a certain Rule by which we must all be tried shortly That if any Man hath not the Spirit of Christ that is if he be not Spirited in some measure as Christ was spirited he is none of his Rom. 8. 9. And if we be not own'd as his we are undone for ever SECT III. Some particular Instances wherein the Exercise of Meekness is in a special manner requir'd The Rule is general we must shew all Meekness
little pett now and then how soon is it over the Provocation forgiven the Sense of it forgotten and both bury'd in an innocent Kiss Thus if ever we would enter into the Kingdom of Heaven must we be converted from Pride Envy Ambition and Strife for precedency and must become like little Children So our Saviour hath told us who even after his Resurrection is call'd The Holy Child Iesus Act. 4. 27. Matth. 18. 3. And even when we have put away other childish Things yet still in Malice we must be Children 1 Cor. 14. 20. And as for the Quarrels of others in all Broils and Heats a meek and quiet Christian endeavours to be as dis-interessed and as little engaged as a weaned Child in the Mothers Arms that is not capable of such angry Resentments This is that Meekness and Quietness of Spirit which is here recommended to us such a Command and Composure of the Soul as that it be not unhinged by any Provocation whatsoever but all its Powers and Faculties preserved in due Temper for the just discharge of their respective Offices In a word Put off all Wrath and Anger and Malice those corrupted Limbs of the old Man pluck up and cast away those Roots of Bitterness and stand upon a constant Guard against all the Exorbitances of your own Passion and then you will soon know to your comfort better than I can tell you what it is to be of a Meek and Quiet Spirit CHAP. II. The Excellency of Meekness and Quietness of Spirit THE very opening of this Cause one would think were enough to carry it and the explaining of the Nature of Meekness and Quietness should suffice to recommend it to us Such an amiable Sweetness doth there appear in it upon the very first View if we look upon this Beauty we cannot but be enamour'd with it But because of the Opposition that there is in our corrupt Hearts to this as to other the Graces of the Holy Spirit I shall endeavour more particularly to shew the Excellency of it that we may be brought if possible to be in love with it and to submit our Souls to the charming Power of it It is said Pro. 17. 27. That a Man of understanding is of an excellent Spirit He is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so the Chetib though the Keri which our Translation follows reads it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frigidus Spiritu so Tremellius he is of a cool Spirit put them together and it teacheth us That a cool Spirit is an excellent Spirit and he is a Man of understanding that is acted and govern'd by such a Spirit The Text tells us what need we more that it in the sight of God of great price and we may be sure that 's precious indeed which is so in God's sight that 's good very good which he pronounceth so for his Judgment is according to Truth and sooner or later he will bring all the World to be of his Mind for as he hath decided it so shall our Doom be and he will be justified when he speaketh and clear when he judgeth The excellency of a meek and quiet Spirit will appear if we consider the Credit of it and the Comfort of it the present Profit there is by it and the Preparedness there is in it for something further 1. Consider how Creditable a meek and quiet Spirit is Credit and Reputation is a thing which most People are very sensibly touch'd with the Ambition of tho' few consider aright either what it is or what is the right way of obtaining it and particularly it is little believed what a great deal of true honour there is in the Grace of Meekness and what a sure and ready way mild and quiet Souls take to gain the good word of their Master and of all their Fellow-Servants that love our Master and are like him Let us see what Credit there is in Meekness 1. There is in it the credit of a Victory What a great Figure do the Names of high and mighty Conquerors make in the Records of Fame How is their Conduct their Valor and their Success more than either cry'd up and celebrated But if we will believe the Word of Truth and pass a Judgment upon things according to the Rules of that He that is slow to anger is better than the Mighty and he that ruleth his Spirit than he that taketh a City Pro. 16. 32. Behold a greater than Alexander or Caesar is here The former of which some think lost more true Honour by yielding to his own ungovern'd Anger than he got by all his Conquests No triumphant Chariot so easie so safe so truly glorious as that in which the meek and quiet Soul rides over all the Provocations of an injurious World with a gracious unconcernedness No train so splendid so noble as that train of Comforts and Graces which attend this Chariot The Conquest of an unruly Passion is more honourable than the Conquest of an unruly People for it requires more true Conduct It is easier to kill an Enemy without us which may be done at a Blow than to Chain up and govern an Enemy within us which requires a constant even steddy Hand and a long and regular Management It was more the Honour of David to yield himself conquer'd by Abigail's Perswasions than to have made himself a Conqueror over Nabal and all his House A rational Victory must needs be allowed more honourable to a rational Creature than a brutal one This is a cheap safe and unbloody Conquest that doth no Body any harm no Lives no Treasures sacrificed to it the Glory of these Triumphs not stain'd as others use to be with Funerals Every Battle of the Warrior saith the Prophet Isa. 9. 5. is with confused noise and Garments roll'd in Blood but this shall be with burning even by the Spirit of the Lord of Hosts as a Spirit of Iudgment and a Spirit of Burning Nay in meek and quiet suffering we are more than Conquerors thro' Christ that loved us Rom. 8. 37. Conquerors with little loss we lose nothing but the gratifying of a base Lust Conquerors with great gain the Spoils we divide are very rich the Favour of God the Comforts of the Spirit the Foretasts of everlasting Pleasures these are more glorious and excellent than the Mountains of Prey We are more than Conquerors that is Triumphers we live a Life of Victory every day a day of Triumph in the meek and quiet Soul Meekness is a Victory over our Selves and the Rebellious Lusts in our own Bosoms 't is the quieting of intestine Broils the stilling of an Insurrection at Home which is oftentimes more hard to do than to resist a foreign Invasion It is an effectual Victory over those that injure us and make themselves Enemies to us and is often a means of winning their Hearts The Law of Meekness is If thine Enemy hungâ—â— feed him if he thirst 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Propina illi
not only give him drink which is an Act of Charity but drink to him in token of Friendship and true Love and Reconciliation and in so doing thou shalt heap Coals of Fire upon his Head not to consume him but to melt and mollifie him that he may be cast into a new mould and thus while the angry and revengeful Man that will bear down all before him with a high hand is overcome of evil the patient and forgiving overcome evil with good Rom. 12. 20 21. and forasmuch as their ways please the Lord he maketh even their Enemies to be at Peace with them Pro. 16. 7. Nay Meekness is a Victory over Satan the greatest Enemy of all What Conquest can sound more great than that It is written for Caution to us all and it reflects honour upon those who through Grace overcome that we wrestle not against Flesh and Blood but against Principalities and Powers and the Rulers of the darkness of this World Eph. 6. 12. The magnifying of the Adversary magnifies the Victory over him such as these are the meek Man's vanquish'd Enemies the spoils of these are the Trophies of his Victory It is the design of the Devil that great Deceiver and Destroyer of Souls that is baffled 't is his attempt that is defeated his assault that is repuls'd by our Meekness and Quietness Our Lord Jesus was more admired for his controuling and commanding the unclean Spirits than for any other of the Cures he wrought Unruly Passions are unclean Spirits Legions of which some Souls are possess'd with and desperate outragious work they make The Soul becomes like that miserable Creature Mark 5. 3 4 5. that cry'd and cut himself or that Mark 9. 22. who was so often cast into the Fire and into the Waters The meek and quiet Soul is through Grace a Conqueror over these Enemies their fiery darts are quenched by the shield of Faith Satan is in some measure trodden under his Feet and the Victory will be compleat shortly when he that overcometh shall sit down with Christ upon his Throne even as he overcame and is set down with the Father upon his Throne where he still appears in the Emblem of his Meekness a Lamb as it had been slain Rev. 5. 6. And upon Mount Zion at the Head of his Heavenly Hosts he appears also as a Lamb Rev. 14. 1. Such is the Honour that Meekness hath in those higher Regions 2. There is in it the Credit of a Beauty The Beauty of a thing consists in the Symmetry Harmony and Agreeableness of all the Parts Now what is Meekness but the Souls Agreement with it self 'T is the joynt Concurrence of all the Affections to the universal Peace and Quiet of the Soul every one regularly acting in its own Place and Order and so contributing to the common good Next to the Beauty of Holiness which is the Souls Agreement with God is the Beauty of Meekness which is the Soul's Agreement with it Self Behold how good and how pleasant a thing it is for the Powers of the Soul thus to dwell together in Unity the Reason knowing how to Rule and the Affections at the same time knowing how to Obey Exorbitant Passion is a Discord in the Soul It is like a Tumor in the Face which spoils the Beauty of it Meekness scatters the Humor binds down the swelling and so prevents the Deformity and preserves the Beauty This is one instance of the comliness of Grace thro' my comliness saith God to Israel Ezek. 16. 14. which I had put upon thee It puts a charming Loveliness and Amiableness upon the Soul which renders it acceptable to all that know what true Worth and Beauty is He that in Righteousness and Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost that is in Christian Meekness and Quietness of Spirit serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of Men Rom. 14. 17 18. and to whom else can we wish to recommend our selves Solomon a very competent Judge of Beauty hath determined That it is a Man's Wisdom that makes his Face to shine Eccl. 8. 1. and doubtless the Meekness of Wisdom contributes as much as any one Branch of it to this Luster We read in Scripture of three whose Faces shone remarkably and they were all three eminent for Meekness The Face of Moses shone Exod. 34. 30. and he was the meekest of all the Men on Earth The Face of Stephen shone Acts 6. 15. and he it was who in the midst of a shower of Stones so meekly submitted and prayed for his Persecutors The Face of our Lord Iesus shone in his Transfiguration and he was the great Pattern of Meekness It is a sweet and pleasing Air which this Grace puts npon the Countenance while it keeps the Soul in tune and frees it from those jarring ill-favoured Discords which are the certain effect of an ungovern'd Passion 3. There is in it the Credit of an Ornament The Text speaks of it as an Adorning much more excellent and valuable than Gold or Pearls or the most costly Array much more recommending than all the Bravery of the Daughters of Zion It is an adorning to the Soul the principal the immortal part of the Man That outward adorning doth but deck and beautifie the Body which at the best is but a Sister to the Worms and will ere long be a Feast for them but this is the Ornament of the Soul by which we are ally'd to the invisible World 'T is an adorning which recommends us to God which is in his sight of great price so the Text saith and in that saith enough to its praise Ornaments go by Estimation now we may be sure that the Judgment of God is right and unerring Every thing is indeed as it is with God Those are righteous indeed that are righteous before God and that is an Ornament indeed which he calls and counts so It is an Ornament of God's own making Is the Soul thus deck'd 'T is he that hath deck'd it By his Spirit he hath garnished the Heavens Job 26. 13. and by the same Spirit hath he garnished the meek and quiet Soul It is an Ornament of his accepting it must needs be so if it be of his own working for to him that hath this Ornament more adorning shall be given He hath promised Psal. 149. 4. that he will beautifie the meek with Salvation and if the Garaments of Salvation will not beautifie what will The Robes of Glory will be the everlasting Ornament of the meek and quiet Spirits This Meekness is an Ornament which like the Israelites Cloths in the Wilderness never waxeth old nor will ever go out of fashion while right Reason and Religion have any place in the World All wise and good People will reckon those best drest that put on the Lord Jesus Christ and walk with him in the white of Meekness and Innocence Solomon in all his Glory was not arrayed like one of these Lillies of the Vallies tho' Lillies
writes to Women yet he useth a Word of the Masculine Gender because the Ornament he recommends is such as both Men and Women must be adorned with Grace as a living Principle of regular Holy Thoughts Words and Actions is sometimes called the new Man Eph. 4. 24. sometimes the inward Man Rom. 7. 22. and 2 Cor. 4. 16. and so here the hidden Man of the Heart 'T is call'd a Man because it s made up of many Parts and Members and its Actings are Vital and Rational and it restores those to the Dignity of Men who by sin had made themselves like the Beasts that perish 'T is call'd the Man of the Heart because out of the Heart are the issues of the Life there lie the Springs of the Words and Actions and therefore into that the Salt of Grace is cast and so all the Waters are healed He is the Christian indeed that â—s one inwardly and that Circumcision that Baptism which is of the Heart Rom. 2. 29. 'T is call'd the hidden Man of the Heart because the Work of Grace is a secret thing and doth not make a pompous shew in the eye of the World 't is a Mystery of Godliness a Life that is hid with Christ in God to whom secret things belong therefore the Saints are called his hidden ones Psal. 83. 3. for the World knows them not much less doth it yet appear what they shall be The King's Daughter that is espoused to Christ is all glorious within Ps. 45. 13. The working of Grace in the Soul is often represented as a Regeneration or being begotten again and perhaps when this good Work is call'd the hidden Man of the Heart there may be some allusion to the forming of the Bones in the Womb of her that is with Child which Solomon speaks of as unaccountable as is also the way of the Spirit Eccle. 11. 5. compare Iohn 3. 8. And lastly it consists in that which is not corruptible 't is not deprav'd or vitiated by the corruption that is in the World thro' Lust and is in the Soul a Well of living Water springing up unto eternal Life John 4. 14. In the Text he instanceth in one particular Grace one Member of this hidden Man in the Heart which we must every one of us adorn our selves with and that is a meek and quiet Spirit which is in the sight of God of great price Where observe 1. The Grace it self here recommended to us it is a meek and quiet Spirit There must be not only a meek and quiet Behaviour outwardly there may be that either by constraint or with some base and disguised Design while the Soul in the mean time is rough and turbulent and envenom'd the Words may be softer than Oyl while War is in the Heart Psal. 55. 21. But the Word of God is a Discerner and Iudge of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart The Power of Men's Laws may bind a Man to the good Behaviour but it is only the Power of God's Grace that will renew a right Spirit within him Psal. 51. 10. That 's it that makes the Tree good and then the Fruit will be good The God with whom we have to do demands the Heart looks at the Principle and requires Truth in the inward parts not only in the Duties of his own immediate Worship that those be done in the Spirit but also in the Duty we owe to our Neighbour that that also be done with a pure Heart and without dissimulation The Word of Command which the Captain of our Salvation gives is Christians take heed to your Spirits Mal. 2. 15. 2. The Excellency of this Grace it is in the sigâ—t of God of great price It is really a precious Grace for it is so in the sight of God and we know that he can neither deceive nor be deceived It is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the same word that is used 1 Tim. 2. 9. for that costly Array which is joyn'd with Gold and Pearls 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Persons of Quality in their Ornaments affect not so much that which is Gay as that which is Rich not that which makes a Glittering Gawdy Shew and pleaseth Children and â—ools but that which is of intrinsick value and recommends it self to the intelligent A meek and quiet Spirit is such an Ornament which hath not that Gaiety that is agreeable to the humor of a carnal World but that real VVorth which recommends it to the favour of God 'T is one of those Graces which are compar'd to the Powders of the Merchant Cant. 3. 6. far fetch'd and dear bought even with the precious Blood of the Lord Jesus Herein we should every one labour and this we should be ambitious of as the greatest Honour that Present or Absent Living and Dying we may be accepted of the Lord and blessed be God it is a thing attainable thro' the Mediator from whom we have received how to walk so as to please him we must walk with meekness and quietness of Spirit for this is in the sight of God of great price Therefore this mark of Honour is in a special manner put upon the Grace of Meekness because it is commonly despised and look'd upon with Contempt by the Children of this World as a piece of mean-spiritedness but however they be termed and treated now they are happy and will appear so shortly whom God approveth of and to whom he saith VVell done good and faithful Servant for by his Judgment we must stand or fall eternally These words therefore will easily afford us this plain Doctrine That Meekness and Quietness of Spirit is a very excellent Grace which we should every one of us put on and be adorned with In the prosecution hereof we shall endeavour 1. To shew what this Meekness and Quietness of Spirit is And 2. VVhat excellency there is in it And 3. Apply it CHAP. I. The Nature of Meekness and Quietness of Spirit MEekness and Quietness seem to import much the same thing but the latter having something of Metaphor in it will illustrate the former and therefore we shall speak of them distinctly 1. We must be of a meek Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 qu. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 facilis So the Criticks Meekness is easiness of Spirit not a sinful easiness to be debauched as Ephraim's that willingly walked after the Commandment of the idolatrous Princes Hos. 5. 11. Nor a simple easiness to be imposed upon and deceiv'd as Rehoboam's who when he was forty Years old is said to be young and tender-hearted 2 Chron. 13. 7. but a gracious easiness to be wrought upon by that which is good as their 's whose Heart of Stone is taken away and to whom a Heart of Flesh is given Meekness is easiness for it accommodates the Soul to every Occurrence and so makes a Man easie to himself and to all about him The Latines call a meek Man mansuetus qu. manu
word of the Lord which thou hast spoken Let him do what he will for he will do what is best and therefore if God should refer the matter to me saith the meek and quiet Soul being well assured that he knows what is good for me better than I do for my my self I would refer it to him again he shall chuse our Inheritance for us Psal. 47. 4. 2. When the methods of Providence are dark and intricate and we are quite at a loss what God is about to do with us his way is in the Sea and his Path in the great Waters and his footsteeps are not known clouds and darkness are round about him a meek and quite Spirit aquiesceth in an assurance that all things shall work together for good to us if we love God though we cannot apprehend how or which way It teacheth us to follow God with an implicit Faith as Abraham did when he went out not knowing whither he went but knowing very well whom he followed Heb. 11. 8. and quieteth us with this that tho' what he doth we know not nâ—w yet we shall know hereafter Iohn 13. 7. When poor Iob was brought to that dismal plunge that he could no way trace the footsteps of the Divine Providence but was almost lost in that Labyrinth Iob. 23 8 9. how quietly doth he sit down v. 10. with this thought But he knows the way that I take when he hath tryed me I shall come forth as Gold Secondly There is Meekness towards our Brethren towards all Men T it 3. 2. and so we take it here Meekness is especially conversant about the affection of Anger not wholly to extirpate and eradicate it out of the Soul that were to quench a Coal which sometime there is occasion for even at Gods Altar and to rebate and blunt the Edge even of our Spiritual Weapons with the which we are to carry on our Spiritual Warfare But its office is to direct and govern this Affection that we may be angry and not sin Ephes. 4. 26. Meekness in the School of the Philosophers is a Virtue consisting in a mean between the extreams of rash excessive Anger on the one Hand and a defect of Anger on the other in which Aristotle confesseth it very hard exactly to determine Meekness in the School of Christ is one of the Fruits of the Spirit Gal. 5. 22 23. it is a Grace both gratis data and gratum faciens wrought by the Holy Ghost both as a Sanctifier and as a Comforter in the Hearts of all true Believers teaching and enabling them at all times to keep their passions under the Conduct and Government of Religion and right Reason I say it is wrought in the Hearts of all true Believers because though there are some rough and knotty pieces that the Spirit works upon whose Natural Temper is unhappily sower and harsh which are long in the squaring yet wheresoever there is true Grace there is a disposition to strive against and strength in some measure to conquer that Distemper And tho' in this as in other Graces an absolute Sinless Perfection cannot be expected in this present state yet we are to labour after it and press towards it More particularly The Work and Office of Meekness is to enable us prudently to govern our own anger when at any time we are provok'd and patiently to bear the Anger of others that it may not be a provocation to us The former is its Office especially in Superiors the latter in Inseriors and both in Equals First Meekness teacheth us prudently to govern our own Anger whenever any thing occurs that is provoking As it is the work of Temperance to moderate our Natural Appetites towards those things that are pleasing to sense so it is the work of Meekness to moderate our Natural Passions against those things that are displeasing to sense and to guide and govern our Resentments of those things Anger in the Soul is like Mettle in a Horse good if it be well managed Now Meekness is the Bridle as Wisdom is the Hand that gives Law to it puts it into the right way and keeps it of an even steddy and regular pace in that way reducing it when it turns aside preserving it in a due Decorum and restraining it and giving it check when at any time it grows headstrong and outragious and threatens Mischief to our selves or others It must thus be held in like the Horse and Mule with Bit and Bridle Psal. 32. 9. lest it break the Hedge run over those that stand in its way or throw the Rider himself head-long It is true of Anger which we say of Fire That it 's a good Servant but a bad Master it 's good on the Hearth but bad in the Hangings Now meekness keeps it in its place sets banks to this Sea and saith Hitherto thou shalt come and no further here shall thy proud Waves be staid In reference to our own Anger when at any time we meet with the Excitements of it the work of MEEKNESS is to do these four things 1. To consider the Circumstances of that which we apprehend to be a Provocation so as at no time to express our displeasure but upon due and mature deliberation The Office of Meekness is to keep Reason upon the Throne in the Soul as it ought to be to preserve the Understanding clear and unclouded the Judgment untainted and unbiassed in the midst of the greatest Provocations so as to be able to set every thing in its true Light and to see it in its own Colour and to determine accordingly as also to keep silence in the Court that the still small Voice in which the Lord is as he was with Elijah at Mount Horeb 1 Kin 19. 12 13. may not be drown'd by the noise of the Tumult of the Passions A meek Man will never be angry at a Child at a Servant at a Friend till he hath first seriously weigh'd the Cause in just and even Ballances while a steddy and impartial Hand held the Scales and a free and unprejudiced Thought had adjudg'd it necessary It is said of our Lord Jesus Iohn 11. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he troubled himself which speaks it a considerate Act and what he saw reason for Then things go right in the Soul when no Resentments are admitted into the Affections but what have first undergone the Scrutiny of the Understanding and thence received their Pass That Passion which cometh not in by this Door but climbeth up some other way the same is a Thief and a Robber which we should stand upon our Guard against In a time of War and such a time it is in every sanctified Soul in a strict War between Grace and Corruption due care must be taken to examine all Passengers especially those that come arm'd whence they came whither they go who they are for and what they would have Thus should it be in the well-govern'd well-disciplin'd Soul
which we call clearing our selves God should call quarrelling with our Brethren David was greatly provok'd by those that sought his hurt and spoke mischievous things against him and yet saith he I as a deaf Man heard not I was as a dumbâ— Man that openeth not his Mouth Ps. 38. 13. and why so 't was not because he wanted something to say or because he knew not how to say it but v. 15. because in thee O Lord do I hope thou wilt hear O Lord my God And what need I hear and God hear too His concerning himself in the matter supersedes Ours and he is not only engaged in Iustice to own every righteous but wronged Cause but he is further engaged in Honour to appear for those that in obedience to the Law of Meekness commit their Cause to him and trust him with it If there be any vindication or avenging necessary which infinite Wisdom is the best Judge of he can do it better than we can and therefore give place unto Wrath Rom. 12. 19. i. e. to the Judgment of God which is according to Truth and Equity make room for him to take the Seat and do not you step in before him 'T is fit our wrath should stand by to give way to his for the wrath of a Man engageth not the Righteousness of God for him Even just Appeals made to him if they be made in Passion are not admitted into the Court of Heaven being not duly put in that one thing is Error sufficient to over-rule them Let not therefore those that do well and suffer for it spoil their own Vindication by mis-timing and mis-managing it but tread in the steps of the Lord Jesus Who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffer'd he threatned not but was as a Lamb dumb before the Shearers and so committed himself to him that judgeth righteously It is indeed a great piece of Self-denial to be silent when we have enough to say and provocation to say it but if we do thus control our Tongues out of a pure regard to Peace and Love it will turn to a good account and will be an evidence for us that we are Christ's Disciples having learn'd to deny our selves It is better by silence to yield to our Brother who is or hath been or may be our Friend than by angry speaking to yield to the Devil who hath been and is and ever will be our sworn Enemy 2. To indite a soft Answer This Solomon commends as a proper expedient to turn away wrath while grievous words do but stir up anger Pro. 15. 1. When any speak angrily to us we must pause a while and study an Answer which both for the Matter and Manner of it may be mild and gentle This brings VVater while peevishness and provocation would but bring Oil to the Flame Thus is Death and Life in the Power of the Tongue it is either healing or killing an Antidote or a Poison according as it 's used When the Waves of the Sea beat on a Rock they batter and make a noise but a soft Sand receives them silently and returns them without damage A soft Tongue is a wonderful Specifick and hath a very strange Vertue in it for Solomon saith it breaks the Bone Pro. 25. 15. that is it qualifies those that were provok'd and makes them pliable it heaps Coals of Fire upon the Head of an Enemy not to burn him but to melt him Pro. 25. 21 22. Hard words we say break no Bones but it seems soft ones do and yet do no harm as they calm an angry Spirit and prevent its Progress breaking it as we do a â—lint upon a Cushion A Stone that falls on a Wool-pack rests there and rebounds not to do any further Mischief such is a meek Answer to an angry Question It is observed in that rencounter which was between the Royal Tribe and the other ten that the words of the Men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the Men of Israel 2 Sam. 14. 43. When Passion is up that God whose Eyes are upon all the ways of Men takes notice who speaks fiercely and sets a mark upon them The good effect of a soft Answer and the ill consequents of a peevish one are observable in the Stories of Gideon and Iophthah Both of them in the day of their Triumphs over the Enemies of Israel were causelesly quarrel'd with by the Ephraimites an angry sort of People it seems who took it very heinously when the danger was past and the Victory was won that they had not been call'd upon to engage in the Battle Gideon pacified them with a soft Answer Iudg. 8. 2. What have I done now in comparison of you magnifying their Atchievements and lessening his own speaking honourably of them and meanly of himself Is not the gleaning of the Grapes of Ephraim better than the Vintage of Abiezar In which Reply it 's hard to say whether there was more of Wit or Wisdom And the effect was very good the Ephraimites were pleased their Anger turned away a Civil War prevented and no Body could think the worse of Gideon for his Mildness and Self-denial but on the contrary that he won more true Honour by this Victory over his own Passion than he did by his Victory over all the Host of Midian for he that hath Rule over his own Spirit is better than the Mighty Pro. 16. 32. The Angel of the Lord had pronounced him a mighty Man of Valour Judg. 6. 12. and this his tame submission did not at all derogate from that part of his Character But Iephthah who by many instances appears to be a Man of a rough and hasty Spirit tho' enroll'd among the eminent Believers Heb. 11. 32. for all good People are not alike happy in their Temper When the Ephraimites in like manner pick a Quarrel with him he rallies them upbraids them with their Cowardice boasts of his own Courage challenges them to make good their Cause Iud. 12 2 3. they retort a scurrillous Reflection upon Iephthah's Country as it 's usual with Men in Passion to taunt and jear one another Ye Gileadites are Fugitives verse 4. From Words they go to Blows and so great a matter doth this little Fire kindle that there goes no less to quench the Flame than the Blood of two and forty thousand Ephraimites v. 6. All which had been haply prevented if Iephthah had had but half as much meekness in his heart as he had reason on his side A soft Answer is the Dictate and Dialect of that Wisdom which is from above which is peaceable gentle and easie to be intreated And to recommend it to us we have the pattern of good men as that of Iacob's Carriage to Esau tho' a Brother offended who is so hard to be won yet as he had prevail'd with God by Faith and Prayer so he prevail'd with his Brother by Meekness and Humility We have also the Pattern of good Angels
perhaps in this as much as in any coming short of the Law of Meekness and Quietness We are called Christians and it is our Priviledge and Honour that we are so We name the Name of the meek and lowly Jesus but how few are acted by his Spirit or conform'd to his Example It is a shame that any occasion should be given to charge it upon Professors who in other things are most strict and sober that in this they are most faulty And that many who pretend to Conscience and Devotion should indulge themselves in a peevish froward and morose Temper and Conversation to the great reproach of that worthy Name by which we are called May we not say as that Mahometan did when a Christian Prince had perâ—idiously broke his League with him O Iesus are these thy Christians It is the manifest Design of our Holy and Excellent Religion to smooth and soften and sweeten our Tempers and to work off the ruggedness and unevenness of them is it not a wretched thing therefore that any who profess it should be sowr'd and embitter'd and less conversable and fit for humane Society than other People He was look'd upon as a very good Man in his Day and not without Cause who yet had such an unhappy temper and was sometimes so transported with Passion that his Friend would say of him He had Grace enough for ten Men and yet not enough for himself All the Disciples of Jesus Christ even those of the first three do not know what manner of Spirit they are of Luke 9. 35. So apt are we to deceive our selves especially when these Exorbitances shrowd themselves under the specious and plausible pretence of Zeal for God and Religion But yet the Fault is not to be laid upon the Profession or the strictness and singularity of that in other things that are praise-worthy nor may we think the worse of Christianity for any such Blemishes We know very well that the Wisdom that is from above is peaceable and gentle and easie to be entreated and all that 's sweet and aimable and endearing tho' she is not herein justified of all that call themselves her Children But the blame must be laid upon the Corruption and Folly of the Professors themselves who are not so perfectly deliver'd into the Mold of Christianity as they should but neglect their Ornament and prostitute their Honour and suffer the Authority of their Graces to be trampled upon they let fire go out of the Rod of their Branches which devour their Fruit so that there is no Meekness as a strong Rod to be a Scepter to rule in the Soul which is a lamentation and shall be for a lamentation I refer you to that complaint Ezek. 19. 14. something resembling the woful Degeneracy of the Angels that sinnâ—d of whom it is said Iude 6. That they kept not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sâ—â—tm Principatum So the Vulgar Might it not be read The Government of themselves they lost the Command they should have had over their inferior Faculties and suffered them to get head And is it not much like this when those pretend to the Dignity who have lost the Dominion of a Religious Profession having no rule over their own Spirits And yet blessed be God! even in this corrupt and degenerate World there are many who appear in the excellent Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit and some whose natural Temper is Hasty and Cholerick as 't is said Calvin's was yet have been enabled by the Power of Divine Grace to shew in a good Conversation their Works with Meekness and Wisdom It is not so impracticable as some imagine it to subdue these Passions and to preserve the Peace of the Soul even in a stormy day But that we may each of us judge our selves and find matter for Repentance herein I shall only mention those instances of irregular Deportment towards our particular Relations which evidence the want of Meekness and Quietness of Spirit 1. Superiors are commonly very apt to chide and that 's for want of Meekness It 's spoken to the praise of him who is the Great Ruler of this perverse and rebellious World that he will not always chide Psa. 103. 9 But how many Little Rulers are there of Families and petty Societies that herein are very unlike him for they are always chiding Upon every little Default they are put into a flame and transported beyond due Bounds Easily provok'd either for no cause at all or for very small cause greatly provok'd and very outragious and unreasonable when they are provok'd Their Carriage fiery and hasty their Language scurrilous and undecent they care not what they say nor what they do nor who they fall foul upon such Sons of Belial that a Man cannot speak to them 1 Sam. 25. 17. one had as good meet a Bear robb'd of her Whelps as meet Them Here wants Meekness Husbands should not be bitter against their Wives Col. 3. 19. Parents should not provoke their Children Eph. 6. 4. Masters must forbear threatning Eph. 6. 9. These are the Rules but how few are rul'd by them The undue and intemperate Passion of Superiors goes under the umbrage and excuse of necessary strictness and the maintaining of Authority and the Education and Controul of Children and Servants But surely every little faileur needs not be animadverted upon but rather should be passed by or if the fault must needs be reproved and corrected may it not be done without such a Heat What neeâ—s so much noise and clamor and all this adoe Is this the product of a meek and quiet Spirit Is this the best Badge of your Authority you have to put on And are these the Ensigns of your Honour Is there no other way of making your Inferiors know their place but by putting them among the Dogs of your Flock and threatning them as such Not that I am against Government and good Order in Families and such Reproofs as are necessary to the support and preservation of that and those so sharpned as some Tempers require and call for But while you are governing others pray learn to govern your selves and do not disorder your own Souls under pretence of keeping Order in your Families For tho' you your selves may not be aware of it yet it is certain that by those Indications of your displeasure which transgress the Laws of Meekness you do but render your selves Contemptible and Ridiculous and rather prostitute than preserve your Authority Tho' your Children dare not tell you so yet perhaps they cannot but think that you are 〈◊〉 very unfit to command them who are so very unable to command your selves Time was when you were your selves Children and Scholars and perhaps Servants and Apprentices and so if you will but allow your selves the liberty of Reflection you cannot but know the Heart of an Inferior Exod. 23. 9. and should therefore treat those that are now under you as you your selves then wish'd to
be treated A due expression of Displeasure so much as is necessary to the amendment of what is amiss will very well consist with Meekness and Quietness And your Gravity and Awful Composedness therein will contribute very much to the preserving of your Authority and will command respect abundantly more than your Noise and Chiding Masters of Families and Masters of Schools too have need in this matter to behave themselves wisely Psal. 101. 2. so as to avoid the two Extreams that of Eli's foolish Indulgence on the one hand 1 Sam. 2. 23 24. and that of Saul's brutish Rage on the other Hand 1 Sam. 20. 30 33. and for the hitting of this Golden Mean Wisdom is profitable to direct 2. Inferiors are commonly very apt to complain If every thing be not just to their Mind they are freting and vexing and their Hearts are hot within them they are uneasie in their Place and Station finding fault with every thing that is said or done to them Here wants a quiet Spirit which would reconcile us to the Post we are in and to all the difficulties of it and would make the best of the present state tho' it be attended with many Inconveniencies Those unquiet People whom the Apostle Iude in his Epistle compares to raging Waves of the Sea and wandring Stars ver 13. were Murmurers and Complainers ver 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blamers of their Lot So the Word signifies 'T is an instance of Unquietness to be ever and anon quarrelling with our Allotment Those Wives wanted a meek and quiet Spirit that cover'd the Altar of the Lord with Tears Mal. 2. 13. Not Tears of Repentance for Sin but Tears of Vexation at the Disappointments they met with in their outward Condition Hannab's Meekness and Quietness was in some degree wanting when she fretted and wept and would not eat 1 Sam. 1. 7. but Prayer compos'd her Spirit and set here to rights v. 18. Her Countenance was no more sad It was the unquietness of the Spirit of the Elder Brother in the Parable that quarrel'd so unreasonably with the Father for receiving and entertaining the Penitent Prodigal Luke 15. 19. For those that are given to be uneasie will never want something or other to complain of It is true tho' not so readily apprehended that the sullenness and murmuring and silent frets of Children and Servants is as great a Transgression of the Law of Meekness as the more open noisie and avowed Passions of their Parents and Masters We find the King's Chamberlains wroth with the King Esth. 2. 21. and Cain's quarrel with God himself for accepting of Abel was interpreted Anger at God Gen. 4. 6. Why art thou wroth and why is thy Countenance fallen The Sowr Looks of Inferiors are as certain an indication of Anger resting in the Bosom as the Big Looks of Superiors and how many such instances of Discontent there have been especially under a continual Cross our own Consciences may perhaps tell us It is the want of Meekness only that makes those whom Divine Providence hath put under the Yoke Children of Belial that is impatient of the Yoke 3. Equals are commonly very apt to clash and contend It is for want of Meekness that there are in the Church so many Pulpit and Paper-Quarrels such strifes of Words and perverse Disputings That there are in the State such Factions and Parties and between them such Animosities and Heart-Burnings That there are in Neighbourhoods such Strifes and Brawls and Vexatious Law-suits or such Distances and Estrangements and Shiness one of another That there are in Families Envies and Quarrels among the Children and Servants Crossing and Thwarting and finding Fault one with another And that Brethren that dwell together do not as they should dwell together in Unity It is for want of Meekness that we are so impatient of Contradiction in our Opinions Desires and Designs that we must have our own Saying right or wrong and every thing our own way That we are so impatient of Competitors not enduring that any should stand in our Light or share in that Work or Honour which we would engross to our selves That we are so impatient of Contempt so quick in our Apprehension and Resentment of the least Slight or Affront and so pregnant in our Fancy of Injuries where really there are none or none intended They are not only Loud and profess'd Contentions that evidence a want of Meekness but also those silent Alienations in Affection and Conversation which make a less noise little Piques and Prejudices conceived which Men are themselves so ashamed of that they will not own them those shew the Spirit disturb'd and wanting the Ornament of Meekness In a word The wilful doing any thing to disquiet others Slandering Backbiting Whispering Tale-bearing or the like is too plain an Evidence that we are not our selves rightly disposed to be quiet And now may we not all remember our Faults this Day and instead of condemning others tho' never so Faulty should we not each of us bewail it before the Lord that we have been so little acted by this excellent Spirit and repent of all that which we have at any time said or done contrary to the Law of Meekness and from under the Direction and Influence of it Instead of going about to extenuate and excuse our sinful Passions let us rather aggravate them and lay load upon our selves for them So foolish have I been and ignorant and so like a Beast as the Psalmist speaks when he is recovering himself from an intemperate heat Psal. 73. 22. Think how often we have appear'd before God and the World without our Ornament without our Livery to our shame God kept account of the particular Instances of the unquietness of Israel They have tempted me saith he now these ten times Numb 14. 22. Conscience is God's Register that Records all our Miscarriages Even what we say and do in our haste is not so quick as to escape its Observation Let us therefore be often opening that Book now for our Conviction and Humiliation or else it will be opened shortly to our Confusion and Condemnation But if we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord. May we not all say as Ioseph's Brethren did and perhaps some are as they were in a special manner call'd to say it by humbling Providences We are verily guilty concerning our Brother Gen. 42. 21. Such a Time in such a Company upon such an Occasion I wanted Meekness and was unquiet my Spirit was provok'd and I spake unadvisedly with my Lips and now I remember it against my self Nay have not I lived a Life of Unquietness in the Family in the Neighbourhood always in the Fire of Contention as in my Element and breathing Threatnings And by so doing have not I dishonour'd my God discredited my Profession disturbed my own Soul grieved the blessed Spirit and been to many an occasion of Sin And for all this ought not I to
This shews that the fear of Man gives greater check to their Passions than the fear of God Our Rule is to be meek towards all even to the Brute Creatures over whom we are Lords but must noâ— be Tyrants A good Man is merciful to his Beast Observe the Reason which the Apostle there gives why we should shew all Meekness towards all Men for we our selves also were sometime foolish verse 3. Time was when perhaps we were as bad as the worst of those we are now angry at and if now it be better with us we are purely beholden to the free Grace of God in Christ that made the difference And shall we be harsh to our Brethren who have found God so kind to us Hath God forgiven us that great Debt and pass'd by so many wilful Provocations and shall we be extream to mark what is done amiss against us and make the worst of every slip and oversight The great Gospel Argument for mutual forbearance and forgiveness is that God for Christ's sake hath forgiven us Col. 3. 13. It may be of use also for the qualifying of our Anger at our Inferiors to remember not only our former sinfulness against God in our Unconverted State but our former Infirmities in the Age and State of Inferiors were not we our selves sometimes foolish Our Children are careless and playful and froward and scarce governable and were not we our selves so when we were of their Age And if we have now put away childish Things yet they have not Children may be brought up in the Nurture and Admonition of the Lord without being provoked to wrath 5. We must study to be quiet 1 Thes. 4. 11. that is study not to disturb others nor to be your selves disturbed by others those are quiet that are not apt either to give or take offence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be ambitious of this as the greatest Honour to be quiet So the word signifies The most of Men are ambitious of the Honour of great Business and Power and Preferment they Covet it they Court it they compass Sea and Land to obtain it but the ambition of a Christian should be carryed out towards Quietness we should reckon that the happiest Post and desire it accordingly which lies most out of the Road of Provocation I cannot avoid mentioning for the illustration of this that most excellent Poem of my Lord Hale the Sense of which is borrowed from a Heathen Let him that will ascend the toterring Seat Of Courtly Grandeur and become as Great As are his mounting Wishes as for me Let sweet Repose and Rest my Portion be Let my Age Slide gently by not overâ—hwart the Stage Of Publick Action unheard unseen And unconcern'd as if I ne're had been This is studying to be quiet Subdue and keep under all those disorderly Passions which tend to the muddying and clouding of the Soul Compose your selves to this holy Rest put your selves in a posture to invite this blessed Sleep which God gives to his beloved Take pains as Students in Arts and Sciences do to understand the Mystery of this Grace I call it a Mystery because St. Paul who was so well versed in the deep things of God speaks of this as a Mystery Phil. 4. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am instructed as in a Mystery both to be â—ull and to be hungry both to abound and to suffer need that is in one word to be quiet To study the Art of Quietness is to take pains with our selves to work upon our own Hearts the Principles Rules and Laws of Meekness and to furnish our selves with such Considerations as tend to the quieting of the Spirit in the midst of the greatest Provocations Others are studying to disquiet us the more need we have to study how to quiet our selves by a careful watching against all that which is ruffling and discomposing Christians should above all Studies study to be quiet and labour to be acted by an even Spirit under all the unevennesses of Providence and remember that one good Word which Sir William Temple tells us the then Prince of Orange now K. William said he learnt from the Master of his Ship who in a Storm was calling to the Steersman with this Word Steddy Steddy Let but the hand be steddy and the heart quiet and then though our Passage be rough we may make a shift to weather the Point and get safe to the Harbour SECT II. Some Scripture Patterns of Meekness and Quietness of Spirit Good Examples help very much to illustrate and enforce good Rules bringing them closer to particular Cases and shewing them to be practicable Precedents are of great use in the Law If we would be found walking in the same Spirit and walking in the same Steps with those that are gone before us to Glory this is the Spirit we must be acted by and these are the Steps we must walk in This is the Way of good Men for wise Men to walk in Let us go forth then by the Footsteps of the Flock and set our selves to follow them who through Faith and Patience inherit the Promises We are compassed about with a great Cloud of Witnesses that will bear their Testimony to the Comfort of Meekness and upon trial recommend it to us but we shall single out only some few out of the Scripture 1. Abraham was a Pattern of Meekness and he was the Father of the Faithful The Apostle here in the verse but one before the Text proposeth Sarah for an Example to Women particularly an Example of Meekness in an inferior Relation she obeyed Abraham and in token of the respect due to a Husband she called him Lord. Now Abraham is a Pattern of the same Grace in a Superior He that was famous for Faith was famous for Meekness for the more we have of Faith towards God the more we shall have of Meekness towards all Men. How meek was Abraham when there happened a strife betwixt his Herdsmen and Lot's which had it proceeded might have been of ill Consequence for the Canaanite and the Perizzite dwelled then in the Land but it was seasonably taken up by the Prudence of Abraham Gen. 13. 8. Let there be no strife I pray thee Tho' he might command the Peace yet for Love's sake he rather beseecheth Every word hath an air of Meekness and a tendency to keep the Peace And when the Expedient pitch'd upon for the prevention of Strife was their parting from each other tho' Let was the Iunior yet Abraham for Peace-sake quitted his right and gave Lot the choice ver 9. and the gracious visit which God gave him thereupon v. 14. was an abundant recompence for his mildness and condescension Another instance of Abraham's Meekness we have in his Carriage towards Sarah when she quarrel'd with him so unreasonably about her Maid angry at that which she her self had the doing of Gen. 16. 5 6. My wrong be upon thee The Lord judge between me and thee
have I now done Is there not a Cause ver 29. When his Enemies reproached him he was not at all disturbed at it Psal. 38. 13. I as a deaf Man heard not When Saul persecuted him with such an unwearied Malice he did not take the advantage which Providence seem'd to offer him more than once to revenge and right himself but left it to God to do it for him David's meek Spirit concurr'd with the Proverb of the Antients Wickedness proceedeth from the Wicked but my Hand shall not be upon him 1 Sam. 24. 13. When Nabal's Churlishness provok'd him yet Abigail's Prudence soon pacified him and it pleased him to be pacified When Shimei cursed him with a bitter Curse in the day of his Calamity he resented not the Offence nor would hear any talk of punishing the Offender So let him curse let him alone for the Lord hath bidden him 2 Sam. 16. 10 12. quietly committing his Cause to God who judgeth righteously verse 12. And other instances there are in his Story which evidence the Truth of what he said Psal. 131. 2. My Soul is even like a weaned Child And yet David a great Soldier a Man of celebrated Courage that slew a Lion and a Bear and a Philistine as much a ravenous Beast as either of them which shews that it was his Wisdom and Grace and not his Cowardise that at other times made him so quiet David was a Man that met with very many disquieting and disturbing Events in the several Scenes of his Life through which tho' sometimes they ruffled him a little yet for the main he preserv'd an admirable Temper and an evenness and composedness of Mind which was very exemplary When upon the surprize of a fright he changed his Behaviour before Abimelech and counterfeited that madness which angry People realize yet his Mind was so very quiet and undisturbed that at that time he penn'd the 34 th Psalm in which not only the excellency of the Matter and the calmness of the Expression but the composure of it Alphabetically in the Hebrew speaks him to be even then in a sedate frame and to have very much the command of his own Thoughts As at another time when his own Followers spake of stoning him tho' he could not still the Tumult of his Troops he could those of his Spirits for then he encouraged himself in the Lord his God 1 Sam. 30. 6. As to those Prayers against his Enemies which we find in some of his Psalms and which sometimes sound a little harsh surely they did not proceed from any such irregular Passion as did in the least clash even with the Evangelical Laws of Meekness We caâ—not imagine that one who was so piously calm in his common Conversation should be sinfully hot in his Devotion Nor are they to be look'd upon as the private Expressions of his own angry Resentments but as inspired Predictions of God's Judgments upon the Publick and Obstinate Enemies of Christ and his Kingdom as appears by comparing Ps. 69. 22 23. with Ro. 11. 9 10. and Psa. 109. 8. with Act. 1. 20. Nor are they any more opposite to the Spirit of the Gospel than the cries of the Souls under the Altar Rev. 6. 10. or the Triumphs of Heaven and Earth in the destruction of Babylon Rev. 19. 1 2. 4. Saint Paul was a Pattern of Meekness Tho' his natural Temper seems to have been warm and eager which made him eminently Active and Zealous yet that Temper was so rectified and sanctified that he was no less eminently meek He became all things to all Men 1 Cor. 9. 19 c. He studied to please all with whom he had to do and to render himself easie to them for their good to Edification How patiently did he bear the greatest Injuries and Indignities not only from Jews and Heathen but from false Brethren that were so very industrious to abuse and undermine him How glad was he that Christ was preached tho' out of Envy and Ill-will by those that studied to add Affliction to his Bonds In governing the Church he was not led by the sudden Resolves of Passion but always deliberated calmly concerning the use of the Rod of Discipline when there was occasion for it 1 Cor. 4. 21. Shall I come to you with a Rod or in the Spirit of Meekness That is shall I proceed immediately to Censures or shall I not rather continue the same gentle Usage I have hitherto treated you with waiting still for your Reformation wherein the Spirit of Meekness appears more open and legible than in the use of the Rod tho' that also is very well consistent with it Many other Patterns of Meekness might be instanc'd in but the time would fail me to tell of Isaac and Jacob and Joseph and Joshua of Samuel also and Job and Jeremiah and all the Prophets and Apostles Martyrs and Confessors and eminent Saints who by Meekness subdued not Kingdoms but their own Spirits stopped the Mouths not of Lions but of more fierce and formidable Enemies quenched the violence not of Fire but of intemperate and more ungovernable Passions and so wrought Righteousness obtained Promises escaped the edge of the Sword and out of weakness were made strong and by all this obtained a good Report Heb. 11. 32 33 34. But after all 5. Our Lord Iesus was the great Pattern of Meekness and Quietness of Spirit All the rest had their Spots the fairest Marbles had their Flaws but here is a Copy without a blot We must follow the rest no further than they were conformable to this great Original Be followers of me saith Paul 1 Cor. 11. 1. as I am of Christ. He fulfilled all Righteousness and was a compleat Exemplar of all that 's Holy Just and Good but I think in most if not all those places of Scripture where he is particularly and expresly propounded to us for an example 't is to recommend to us some or other of the Homiletical Graces of Christianity those I mean which tend to the sweetning of our Converse one with another And therefore the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us that he might teach us how to dwell together in Unity We must walk in love as Christ loved us Eph. 5. 2. Forgive as Christ forgave us Col. 3. 13. Please one another for Christ pleased not himself Rom. 15. 2 3. Be Charitable to the poor for we know the Grace of our Lord Iesus 2 Cor. 8. 9. Wash one anothers feet i. e. stoop to the meanest Offices of Love for Christ did so John 13. 14. Mat. 20. 27 28. Doing all with lowliness of Mind for it is the same Mind that was in Christ Iesus Phil. 2. 3 5. and many other the like But above all our Lord Jesus was an Example of Meekness Moses had this Grace as a Servant but Christ as a Son he was anointed with it above measure He is therefore call'd the Lamb of God for his Meekness and Patience and
not only bless'd God that sent her and blessed her Advice but blessed her 1 Sam. 25. 32 33. and v. 35. not only hearkned to her Voice but accepted her Person Tho perhaps the Reprover supposeth the fault greater than really it was and though the Reproof be not given with all the Prudence in the World yet Meekness will teach us to accept it quietly and to make the best use we can of it nay if indeed we be altogether innocent of that which we are reproved for yet the Meekness of Wisdom would teach us to apply the Reproof to some other fault which our own Consciences convict us of We would not quarrel with a real intended Kindness tho' not done with Ceremony tho' in some circumstances mistaken or misplac'd You that are in Inferior Relations Children Servants Scholars must with all Meekness and Submission receive the Reproofs of your Parents Masters and Teachers Their Age supposeth them to have more Understanding than you however their Place gives them an Authority over you to which you are to pay a Deference and in which you are to acquiesce else farewel all Order and Peace in Societies The Angel rebuked Hagar for flying from her Mistriss tho' she dealt hardly with her and obliged her to return and submit her self under her hands Gen. 16. 6 9. If the Spirit of any Ruler rise up against thee and thou be chidden for a Fault leave not thy Place as an Inferior for yielding pacifies great offences done and prevents the like Eccl. 10. 4. If thou hast thought evil lay thy hand upon thy Mouth to keep that evil thought from breaking out in any undue and unbecoming Language Pro. 30. 32. Reproofs are then likely to do us good when we meekly submit to them then are they as an Ear-ring of Gold and an Ornament of fine Gold when an obedient Ear is given to a wise Reprover Pro. 25. v. 12. Nay even Superiors are to receive Reproofs from their Inferiors with Meekness as they would any other Token of Kindness and Good-will Naaman when he turn'd away from the Prophet in a rage yet hearkned to the Reproof which his own Servants gave him and was over-rul'd by the Reason of it 2 Kin. 5. 11 13 14. which was no more a disparagement to him than it was to receive Instruction from his Wife's Maid to whom to go â—or a cure of his Leprosie v. 2 3. Meekness teacheth us when a just Reproof is given to regard not so much who speaks as what is spoken 3. We must instruct Gain-sayers with Meekness 2 Tim. 2. 24 25. It is there prescrib'd to Ministers that they must not 〈◊〉 but be gentle to all Men in Meekness instructing those that oppose themselves They serve the Prince of Peace they preach the Gospel of Peace they are the Ambassadors of Peace and therefore must be sure to keep the Peace The Apostles those prime Ministers of State in Christ's Kingdom were not Military Men or Men of strife and noise but Fishermen that follow their Employment with quietness and silence 'T is highly necessary that the Guides of the Church be strict Governours of their own Passions Learn of me saith Christ for I am meek and lowly and therefore fit to teach you Mat. 11. 29. We must contend earnestly but not angrily and passionately no not for the â—â—ith once delivered to the Saints Iude v. 3. when we have never so great an assurance that it is the cause of Truth we are pleading yet we must so manage our Defence of it against those who gainsay as to make it appear that it is not the Confusion of the Erroneous but the Confutation of the Error that we intend This Meekness would teach us not to prejudge a Cause nor to condemn an Adversary unheard but calmly to state matters in difference as knowing that a Truth well open'd is half confirm'd It would teach us not to aggravate matters in dispute nor to father upon an Adversary all the absurd Consequences which we think may be inferr'd from his Opinion It would teach us to judge charitably of those that differ from us and to forbear all personal Reflections in arguing with them God's Cause needs not the Patronage of our sinful Heats and Passions which not only shatter the Peace but often giveâ— a mighty shock even to the Truth it self we plead for Meekness would prevent and cure that Bigotry which hath been so long the Bane of the Church and contribute a great deal towards the Advancement of that happy State in which notwithstanding little Differences of Apprehension and Opinion the Lord shall be one and his Name one Publick Reformations are carry'd on with most Credit and Comfort and are most likely to settle upon lasting Foundations when Meekness sits at the Stern and guides the Motions of them When Christ was purging the Temple tho' he was therein acted by a Zeal for God's House that even eat him up yet he did it with Meekness and Prudence which appear'd in this instance that when he drove out the Sheep and Oxen which would easily be caught again he said to them that sold Doves Take these things hence Joh. 2. 16. He did not let loose the Doves and send them flying for that would have been to the loss and prejudice of the Owners Angry noisie bitter Arguings ill become the Asserters of that Truth which is great and will prevail without all that adoe It was a very froward and perverse Generation that our Lord Jesus lived in and yet it is said Mat. 12. 19. He shall not strive nor cry neither shall any Man hear his Voice in the Street tho' he could have broke them as easily as a bruised Reed and extinguish'd them as soon as one could quench the wiek of a Candle newly lighted yet he will not do it till the day comes when he shall bring forth Iudgment unto Victory Moses dealt with a very obstinate and stiff-neck'd People And yet my Doctrine saith he shall drop as the Dew and distil as the small Rain Deut. 32. 2. 'T was not the Wind nor the Earthquake nor the Fire that brought Elijah into Temper for the Lord was not in them but the still small Voice did it when he heard that he wrap'd his Face in his Mantle 1 Kin. 19. 11 12 13. In dealing with Gain-sayers a Spirit of Meekness will teach us to consider their Temper Education Custom the Power of Prejudice they Labour under the Influence of others upon them and to make Allowances accordingly and not to call as passionate Contenders are apt to do every false Step an Apostacy every Errour and Mistake nay every Misconstrued Misplaced Word a Heresie and every Misdemeanor no less than Treason and Rebelion Methods of Proceeding more likely to irritate and harden than to convince and reduce Gain-sayers I have heard it observed long since That the Scourge of the Tongue hath driven many out of the Temple but never drove any into it 4.
Drunkenness by being called in Reproach a Tipler It is very possible we may be inlightned or humbled or reformed may be brought nearer to God or weaned from the World may be furnished with matter for Repentance or Prayer or Praise by the Injuries that are done us and may be much furthered in our way to Heaven by that which was intended for an Affront or Provocation This Principle would put another Aspect upon Injuries and Unkindnesses and would quite alter the Property of them and teach us to call them by another Name Whatever the Subordinate Instrument intended it is likely he meant not so neither did his Heart think so Isa. 10. 7. but God desigâ—ed it as other our Afflictions to yield the peaceable Fruit of Righteousness so that instead of being angry at the Man that meant us ill we should rather be thankful to the God that intended us good and study to answer his Intention This kept Ioseph in that good Temper towards his Brethren tho' he had occasion enough to quarrel with them Gen. 50. 20. You thought evil against me but God meant it unto good This satisfied Paul in reference to the Thorn in the Flesh i. e. the Calumnies and Oppositions of the false Apostles which touch'd him more sensibly than all the Efforts of persecuting Rage that it was intended to hide Pride from him lest he should be exalted above measure with the abundance of Revelations 2 Cor. 12. 7. and there seems to be an instance of that good effect it had upon him immediately upon the mention of it for within a few Lines after he lets fall that humble word verse 11. I am nothing We should be apt to think too highly of our selves and too kindly of the World if we did not meet with some Injuries and Contempts by which we are taught to cease from Man Did we but more carefully study the Improvement of an Injury we should not be so apt to desire the Revenge of it 5. That what is said and done in haste is likely to be matter for a deliberate Repentance We find David often remembring with regret what he said in his haste particularly one angry word he had said in the day of his Distress and Trouble which seem'd to reflect upon Samuel and indeed upon all that had given him any Encouragement to hope for the Kingdom Psal. 116. 11. I said in my haste All Men are Liars and this hasty word was a grief to him long after He that hasteth with his Feet sinneth Prov. 19. 2. When a Man is transported by Passion into any Indecency we commonly qualifie it with this that he is a little hasty as if there were no harm in that but we see there is harm in it he that is in haste may contract much guilt in a little time What we say or do unadvisedly when we are hot we must unsay and undoe again when we are cool or do worse Now who would wilfully do that which sooner or later he must repent of A Heathen that was tempted to a chargeable Sin could resist the Temptation with this consideration That he would not buy Repentance so dear Is Repentance such a pleasant Work that we should so industriously treasure up unto our selves wrath against the day of wrath either the day of God's Wrath against us or our own against our selves You little think what a Torrent of Self-affliction you let in when you let the Reins loose to an immoderate ungovern'd Passion You are angry at others and reproach them and call them hard Names and are ready to abhor them and to revenge your selves upon them and your corrupt Nature takes a strange kind of Pleasure in this But do you know that all this will at last rebound in your own Faces and return into your own Bosoms Either here or in a worse Place you must repent of all this that is you must turn all these Passions upon your selves you must be angry at your selves and reproach your selves and call your selves Fools and abhor your selves and smite upon your own Breasts nay and if God give you Grace take a Holy Revenge upon your selves which is reckoned among the Products of godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7. 11. and what can be more uneasie than all this You take a mighty Liberty in chiding those that you have under your Power and giving them very ill-favoured Language because you know they dare not chide you again but dare not your own Hearts smite you and your Consciences chide you And is it not easier to bear the Chidings of any Man in the World which may either be avoided or answered or slighted than to bear the Reproaches of our own Consciences which as we cannot get out of the hearing of so we cannot make a light matter of for when Conscience is awake it will be heard and will tell us home wherein we are verily guilty concerning our Brother Gen. 42. 21. Let this Thought therefore quiet our Spirits when they begin to be tumultuous that hereby we shall but make work for Repentance whereas on the contrary as Abigail suggested to David 1 Sam. 25. 30 31. The bearing and forgiving of an Injury will be no trouble or grief of Mind afterwards Let Wisdom and Grace therefore do that which Time will do however cool our Heat and take off the Edge of our Resentment 6. That that is truly best for us which is most pleasing and acceptable to God and that a meek and quiet Spirit is so No Principle hath such a commanding influence upon the Soul as that which hath a regard to God and wherein we approve our selves to him It was a good hint which the Woman of Tekoah gave to David when she was sueing for a Merciful Sentence 2 Sam. 14. 11. I pray thee let the King remember the Lord thy God Nor could any thought be more mollifying than that Remember how gracious and merciful and patient God is how slow to anger how ready to forgive and how well pleased he is to see his People like him Remember the Eye of thy God upon thee the Love of thy God towards thee and the Glory of thy God set before thee Remember how much it is thy concern to be accepted of God and to walk worthy of thy relation to him unto all well-pleasing and how much Meekness and Quietness of Spirit doth contribute to this as it is consonant to that excellent Religion which our Lord Jesus hath establish'd and as it renders the Heart a fit Habitation for the blessed Spirit This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour to lead quiet and peaceable Lives 1 Tim. 2. 2 3. It is a good evidence of our Reconciliation to God if we be cordially reconciled to every cross Providence which necessarily includes a meek Behaviour towards those who are any way Instrumental in the Cross. Very excellently doth St. Austin express it in Psal. 122. Quis placet Deo cui Deus placuerit Those please
God that are pleased with him and with all he doth whether immediately by his own hand or mediately by the Agency of provoking injurious Men. This is standing compleat in all the Will of God not only his commanding but his disposing Will saying it without Reluctancy The Will of the Lord be done He that acts from an Honest Principle of Respect to God and sincerely desires to stand right in his Favour cannot but be in some measure adorn'd with that meek and quiet Spirit which he knows to be in the sight of God of great price Such as these are softning Principles and as many as walk according to these Rules Peace shall be upon them and Mercy and no doubt it shall be upon the Israel of God SECT V. Some Rules of Direction The Laws of our Holy Religion are so far from clashing and interfering that one Christian Duty doth very much further and promote another the Fruits of the Spirit are like Links in a Chain one draws on another it is so in this many other Graces contribute to the Ornament of a Meek and Quiet Spirit You see how desirable the Attainment is will you therefore through desire separate your selves to the pursuit of it and seek and intermeddle with all Wisdom Pro. 18. 1. and all little enough that you may reach to the Meekness of Wisdom 1. Sit loose to the World and to every thing in it The more the World is crucified to us the more our corrupt Passions will be crucified in us If we would keep calm and quiet we must by Faith live above the stormy Region It is certain those that have any thing or have any thing to do in the World cannot but meet with that every day from those with whom they deal which will cross and provoke them and if the Affections be set upon these things and we be fill'd with a prevailing Concern about them as the principal Things those Crosses must needs pierce to the quick and enflame the Soul and that which toucheth us in these things toucheth us in the Apple of our Eye If the Appetites be carryed out inordinately towards those things that are pleasing to Sense the Passions will be to the very same degree carry'd out against those that are displeasing And therefore Christians whatever you have of the World in your Hands be it more or less as you tender the Peace as well as the Purity of your Souls keep it out of your Hearts and evermore let out your Affections towards your Possessions Enjoyments and Delights in the World with a due Consideration of the Disappointment and Provocation which probably you will meet with in them and let that restrain and give check to their Inordinacy It is the excellent Advice of Epictetus whatever we take a pleasure in to consider the Nature of the thing and to proportion our complacency accordingly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If thou art in love with a China-Cup or a Venice-Glass love it as a piece of brittle Ware and then the breaking of it will be no great Offence nor put thee into any disturbing Passion for it is but what thou didst expect Those that Idolize any thing in this World will be greatly discomposed if they be cross'd in it The Money which Micha's Mother had was her God it is Bishop Hall's Note before it had the shape either of a Graven or a Molten Image else the loss of it would not have set her a cursing as it seems it did Iudg. 17. 2. Those that are greedy of Gain trouble their own Hearts as well as their own Houses Pro. 15. 27. They are a burthen to themselves and a Terror to all about them They that will be rich that are resolved upon it come what will cannot but fall into these foolish and hurtful lusts 1 Tim. 6. 9. And those also that serve their own Bellies that are pleased with nothing unless it be wound up to the height of Pleasure-ableness that are like the tender and delicate Woman that would not set so much as the Sole of her Foot to the Ground for Tenderness and Delicacy lye very open to that which is disquieting and cannot without a great Disturbance to themselves bear a Disappointment And therefore Plutarch that great Moralist prescribes it for the Preservation of our Meekness Not to be curious in Diet or Cloaths or Attendance for saith he they who need but few things are not liable to Anger if they be disappointed of many Would we but learn in these things to cross our selves we should not be so apt to take it heinously if another crosseth us And therefore the Method of the Lessons in Christ's School is first to deny our selves and then to take up our Cross Matth. 16. 24. We must also mortifie the desire of the Applause of Men as altogether Impertinent to our True Happiness If we have learnt not to value our selves by their good word we shall not much disturb our selves for their ill word St. Paul bore Reproaches with so much Meekness because he did not build upon the Opinion of Man reckoning it a small thing to be judged of Man's day 1 Cor. 4. 3. 2. Be often repenting of your sinful Passion and renewing your Covenants against it If our rash Anger were more bitter to us in the Reflection afterwards we should not be so apt to Relapse into it Repentance in general if it be sound and deep and grounded in true Contrition and Humiliation is very meekning and disposeth the Soul to bear Injuries with abundance of Patience Those that live a Life of Repentance as we have every one of us reason to do cannot but live a quiet Life for no body can lightly say worse of the true Penitent than he saith of himself Call him a Fool an Affront which many think deserves a Challenge the humble Soul can bear it patiently with this thought Yea a Fool I am and I have call'd my self so many a time more brutish than any Man I have not the Understanding of a Man Prov. 30. 2. But Repentance doth in a special manner dispose us to Meekness when it fastens upon any irregular inordinate Passion with which we have been transported Godly Sorrow for our former Transgressions in this matter will work a carefulness in us not again to Transgress If others be causelesly or excessively angry with me am not I justly requited for the like or more indecent Passions Charge it home therefore with Sorrow and Shame upon your Consciences aggravating the Sin and laying load upon your selves for it and you will find that the burnt Child especially while the pain is smarting will dread the Fire compare Iob 42. 6. with ch 40. 46. With our Repentance for our former unquietness we must engage our selves by a firm Resolution in the strength of the Grace of Jesus Christ to be more mild and gentle for the future Say You will take heed to your ways that you offend not as you have done with
been wont perhaps to put you into a Passion these give you an opportunity to make the Trial. Do you find that you are less subject to Anger and when angry that you are less transported by it than formerly that your apprehension of Injuries is less quick and your Resentments less keen than usual Is the little Kindom of your Mind more quiet than it hath been and the discontented Party weakned and kept under 'T is well if it be so and a good sign that the Soul prospereth and is in Health We should examine every Night whether we have been quiet all Day we shall sleep the better if we find we have Let Conscience keep up a Grand Inquest in the Soul under a Charge from the Judge of Heaven and Earth to enquire and due presentment make of all Riots Routs and Breaches of the Peace aud let nothing be left unpresented for Favour Affection or Self-love nor let any thing presented be left unprosecuted according to Law Those whose natural Temper or their Age or Distemper leads them to be hot and hasty and unquiet have an opportunity by their Meekness and Gentleness to discover both the Truth and Strength of Grace in general for it is the surest mark of Uprightâ—â—â—sness to keep our selves from our own Iniquity Psal. 18. 23. And yet if the Children of God bring forth these Fruits of the Spirit in old Age when commonly Men are most froward and peevish it shews not only that they are upright but rather that the Lord is upright in whose strength they stand that he is their Rock in whom they have cast Anchor and there is no unrighteousness in him Psal. 92. 14 15. 7. Delight in the Company of meek and quiet Persons Solomon prescribes it as a preservative against foolish Passion to make no Friendship with an angry Man lest thou learn his way Prov. 22. 24 25. When thy Neighbours Heart is on fire it 's time to look to thy own But Man is a sociable Creature and cut out for Converse let us therefore since we must have some Company chuse to have Fellowship with those that are meek and quiet that we may learn their way for it is a good way The Wolf is no Companion for the Lamb nor the Leopard for the Kid till they have forgot to hurt and destroy Company is assimilating and we are apt insensibly to grow like those with whom we ordinarily converse especially with whom we delight to converse therefore let the quiet in the Land be the Men of our choice especially into standing Relations and Bosom-friendship Observe in others how sweet and amiable Meekness is and what a Heaven upon Earth those enjoy that have the command of their own Passions and study to transcribe such Copies There are those that take a pleasure in huffing and hectoring Company and are never well but when they are in the midst of Noise and Clamour sure Heaven would not be Heaven to such for that is a calm and quiet Region no noise there but what is Sweet and Harmonious 8. Study the Cross of our Lord Iesus Did we but know more of Jesus Christ and him crucified we should experience more of the Fellowship of his Sufferings Think often how and in what manner he suffered see him led as a Lamb to the Slaughter and arm your selves with the same Mind Think also why and for what end he suffered that you may not in any thing contradict the design of your dying Saviour nor receive his Grace in vain Christ died as the great Peace-maker to take down all Partition-Walls to quench all threatning Flames and to reconcile his Followers not only to God but one to another by the slaying of all Enmities Eph. 2. 14 16. The Apostle often prescribes a believing regard to the sufferings of Christ as a powerful allay to all sinful and intemperate Heats as Eph. 5. 2. Phil. 2. 5 c. Those that would shew forth the meek and humble Life of Christ in their mortal Bodies must bear about with them continually the dying of the Lord Iesus 2 Cor. 4. 10. The Ordinance of the Lord's Supper in which we shew forth the Lord's Death and the New-Testament in his Blood must therefore be improved by us for this blessed end as a Love-feast at which all our sinful Passions must be laid aside and a Marriage-feast where the Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit is a considerable part of the Wedding-Garment The forgiving of Injuries and a Reconciliation to our Brother is both a necessary Branch of our Preparation for that Ordinance and a good evidence and instance of our profiting by it If God hath there spoken Peace to us let not us go away and speak War to our Brethren The Year of Release under the Law which put an end to all Actions Suits and Quarrels begun in the close of the day of Attonement then the Iubilee-Trumpet sounded 9. Converse much in your Thoughts with the dark and silent Grave You meet with many things now that disturb and disquiet you and much ado you have to bear them think how quiet Death will make you and how uncapable of resenting or resisting Injuries and what an easie prey this Flesh you are so jealous for will shortly be to the Worm that shall feed sweetly on it You will e're long be out of the reach of Provocation there where the wicked cease from troubling and where their Envy and their Hatred is for ever perished And is not a quiet Spirit the best Preparative for that quiet State Think how all these things which now disquiet us will appear when we come to look Death in the Face how small and inconsiderable they seem to one that is stepping into Eternity Think what need is there that I should so ill resent an Affront or Injury that am but a Worm to day and may be Worms Meat to morrow They say when Bees fight the throwing up of Dust among them quickly parts the Fray Hi motus animorum atque haec certamina tanta Pulveris exigui jactu compressa quiescunt A little sprinkling of the Dust of the Grave which we are upon the brink of would do much towards the quieting of our Spirits and the taking up of our Quarrels Death will quiet us shortly let Grace quiet us now When David's Heart was hot within him he prayed Lord make me to know my end Psal. 39. 3 4. To conclude I know no Errand that I can come upon of this kind to you in which methinks I should be more likely to prevail than in this so much doth Meekness conduce to the Comfort and Repose of our own Souls and the making of our Lives sweet and pleasant to us If thou be wise herein thou shalt be wise for thy self That which I have been so intent upon in this Discourse is only to perswade you not to be your own Tormentors but to govern your Passions so that they may not be furioâ—s to your selves The
The Christian Religion is here called but miscalled a Sect 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Heresy After the way which they call Heresy saith St. Paul Acts 24. 14. so worship I the God of my Fathers The Sect of the Nazarenes so Tertullus calls it in his opening of the Indictment against Paul Acts 24. 5. it 's call'd this way Acts. 9. 2. and that way Acts 19. 9. as if it were a By-path out of the common Road. The Practice of serious Godliness is still look'd upon by many as a Sect that is a Party-business and a piece of affected singularity in Opinion and Practice tending to promote some carnal Design by creating and supporting invidious Distinctions among Men. This is the proper notion of a Sect and therefore the Masters and Maintainers of Sects are justly in an ill Name as Enemies to the great Corporation of Mankind but there is not the least colour of Reason to put this invidious and scandalous Character upon the Christian Religion However it may be mistaken and misrepresented it is very far from being really a Sect. There were Sects of Religion among the Jews we read of the Sect of the Sadducees Acts 5. 17. which was built upon peculiar notions such as overturn'd the foundation of Natural Religion by denying a future state of Rewards and Punishments There was also the Sect of the Pharisees Acts 15. 5. the straitest Sect of their Religion Acts 26. 5. which was founded in the observance and imposition of singular Rites and Customs with an affected separation from and contempt of all Mankind These were Sects But there is nothing of the Spirit and Genius of these in the Christian Religion as it was instituted by its great Author 1. True Christianity establisheth that which is of common concernment to all Mankind and therefore is not a Sect. The Truths and Precepts of the everlasting Gospel are perfective of and no way repugnant to the Light and Law of Natural Religion Is that a Sect which gives such mighty Encouragements and Assistances to those that in every Nation fear God and work Righteousness Acts 10. 34. Is that a Sect which tends to nothing else but to reduce the revolted Race of Mankind to their Ancient Allegiance to the great Creator and to renew that Image of God upon Man which was his Primitive Rectitude and Felicity Is that a Sect which proclaims God in Christ reconciling the World unto himself and recovering it from that degenerate and deplorable State into which it was sunk Is that a Sect which publisheth Good-will towards Men and Christ the Lamb of God taking away the Sins of the World Surely that which concurs so much with the uncorrupted and unprejudiced Sentiments and conduceth much more to the true and real Happiness of all Mankind cannot be thought to take its rise from such narrow Opinions and private Interests as Sects ow their Original to 2. True Christianity hath a direct tendency to the Vniting of the Children of Men and the gathering of them together in one and therefore is far from being a Sect which is suppos'd to lead to Division and to sow Discord among Brethren The Preaching of the Gospel did indeed prove the occasion 〈◊〉 Contention Our Saviour foresaw and foretold it would be so Luke 12. 51 52 53. that his Disciples and Followâ—â— would be Men of strife in the same senâ— that 〈◊〉 Prophet was Ier. 15. 10. not Men stroing but Men striven with but the Gospel wâ—s by no means the Cause of this Contention for it was intended to be the Curâ—â— of all Contention If there be any who under the Cloak and Colour of the Christian Name causâ—â—visions and propagate Feuds and Quarrels among Men let them bear their own Burthen but it is certain that the Christian Religion as far as it obtains its just Power and Influence upon the minds of Men will make them Meek and Quiet Humble and Peaceable Loving and Useful Condescending and Forgiving and every way Easy and Acceptable and Profitable one to another Is that a Sect which was introduced with a Proclamation of Peace on Earth That which beats Swords into Plow-shares and Spears into Pruning-hooks Or was he the Author of a Sect who is the Great Creator of Vnity and who Died to break down partition Walls and to slay all Enmities that he might gather together in one the Children of God that were scattered abroad Was he the Author of a Sect who came into the World not to destroy Mens Lives but to save them and who taught his Followers not only to love one anothâ—◠〈◊〉 to love their Eneâ—ies and to 〈◊〉 every one their Neighbour that they could be any way serviceable to 3. True Châ—â—â—â—anity aims at no Worldly Benefit or Advantage and therefore must by 〈◊〉 means be call'd a Sect. Those that espouse a Sect are suppos'd to be govern'd in it by their secular Interest and to aim at Wealth not Honour or the gratification or some â—ase Lust The Pharisees proved themselvâ—◠〈◊〉 a Sect by their Thirst after the praise of 〈◊〉 and their greedy devouring of Widows Houses But the Professors of Christianity have not only been taught by the Law of their Religion to live above this World and to look upon it with a Holy Contempt but have been expos'd by their Profession to the Loss and Ruine of all their secular Comforts and Enjoyments Are those to be accounted politick and designing Sectaries that have for Christ chearfully suâ—â—ered the loss of all things Is that a Sect which instead of prefering a Man to Honour or raising him an Estate lays him open to Disgrace and Poverty renders him obnoxious to Fines and Forfeitures Banishments and Imprisonments Racks and Tortures Flames and Gibbets which were the common Lot of the Primitive Christians Caesar Vaninus a swoâ—â— Enemy to the Christian Religion and one who was industrious in searching out Objections against it own'd he could find nothing in it that savour'd of a Carnal and Worldly Design No it hath always approv'd it self a Heavenly Calling and the strictest Professors of it even their Enemies themselves being Judges have had their Conversation in the World in Simplicity and Godly 〈◊〉 not with Fleshly Wisdom Very unjustly therefore it is called a Sect. As to this therefore suffer a Word of Caution and Exhortation 1. Let us take heed left our Profession of Religion degenerate into any thing which may make it look like a Sect. Christianity as it was instituted by Christ is not a Sect let not Christians then be Sectaries We make our Profession of Religion a Sect when we monopolize the Church and its Ministry and Sacraments and spend that zeal in matters of doubtful Disputation which should be reserved for the weightier matters of the Law When we place our Religion in Meats and Drinks which should be placed in Righteousness and Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost When we profess Religion